Funviralpark The Rangers had a narrow vision approaching the holiday break, but it paid off.
Not only will the Rangers win at least the last of the three games they will face the Islanders, but they will be in the best possible shape heading into their final regular season meeting with their cross-state opponents, bolstered by a chance to save the season. I did my best. Both goals came as he won 5-3 at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night, with the Rangers in the spotlight as winners of eight of their last nine games as they entered a four-day layoff.
“Ten games ago, the season wasn’t great,” said Barclay Goodrow, who scored the first of Rangers’ third period three goals and assisted into an empty net for Vincent Trocek. “You won 9-8 and we’re well positioned. We’re right in there. A 10-game stretch can do a lot. We know how fast we can go to.Obviously that’s a big confidence booster in this run.I think we’re playing good hockey and we just want to keep it up.”
If the NHL had to limit hockey fans to three regular season games featuring one of the league’s better rivalries, the Rangers and Islanders at least made their last meeting memorable.
Not only did Igor Shestakin of the Rangers and Ilya Sorokin of the Islanders score goals, but both teams skated hard, scored frequently, and played with such intensity that they deserved a playoff matchup. The score was tied three times. A 16 minute penalty was given. And there was no shortage of action in his one of the most recent and memorable Battles of New York.
Kaapo Kakko decided the winner of the game at 17:13 in the third period when the Finnish winger filled in the centering feed from K’Andre Miller. The goal may have earned the Rangers the victory – and kept them in the thick of the Metropolitan Division standings, tying with the Penguins on 43 points – but the bracket cost him early in the game. It was the only way I felt that I could compensate for the turnover. .
“That’s what I was thinking,” Kakko said. “After their second point, obviously it’s my fault. I think it’s going to happen. [to] everyone. I’ll have to think about it later. It was nice to score a goal like that in the end, especially after a play like that. ”
The score was tied 1–1 in the second period, when the braces were circling the zone as did the puck. But after he fumbled it at the blue line, it put Matthew Bazal off and the Islanders star put up a nasty backhand to Shesterkin to lead the team.
A visually distraught Kakke said some of his teammates offered words of encouragement to the 21-year-old winger, and head coach Gerald Gallant noticed it as well.
“It’s perfect because it comes from leadership,” said Gallant. “You make mistakes. Obviously it’s hard for a young player to give up that goal in an important game like tonight. But I saw it. [Chris] Crider and Goodrow are there talking to him. He’s going to make mistakes, but it’s great that he finished the right way.”
That turn of events saw Galante briefly promote Julien Gautier next to Alexis Lafrenière and Philippe Chitill after Gautier made it 2–2 about three minutes after Balzal’s goal. rice field. Gautier was skating with extra momentum in the first game when he returned to the lineup after sitting in the previous three periods, but Goodrow netted a shot that deflected and scored three early in the third period. tied the score at -3.
With 10 games to go until the holiday break, the Rangers have had to finish strong if they want to keep up with such a competitive division. His eight victories of them are just the gift of Christmas and Hanukkah.
