This was an example of a competitor in the playoffs, in the middle of the best role of the season, which highlighted an early race in ruin. These were the Rangers who put the Devils’ wood, almost before they could process New York’s two goals in the 6:39 opening and three in the 12:00 opening.
There was no confusion and much agitation most of the way, although David Quinn was annoyed enough by parts of his team’s second period that the coach juggled each of his line combinations in the top 10. minutes of the third period of this 4-0 victory at Garden, in which Igor Shesterkin became the first netminder rookie to record consecutive blocks from Lorne Chabot in the inaugural season of the 1926-27 franchise.
Perhaps these mistakes were in the minds of Artemi Panarin, who, after participating in a typical brilliant goal game and two assists, talked about cleaning up the details, while the Rangers continue to chase the uncooperative Bruins in pursuit of the spot. final in the divisional playoffs.
There is still a four-point gap, as time runs out, the Rangers have 13 more games and the Bruins, 4-1 home winners of the Islanders, with 15 left in the program.
“Obviously, it’s nice to dominate a game, but it wasn’t ideal,” said No. 10, whose left wing faces an icy cross. Ryan Strome’s two-on-one feed lifted his team. at the beginning of his 3 -0 lead. “We have some details to work on as well [improvement] for some very serious games.
“I would say, less turnover on the blue line. Overall, obviously, this game was fun to play, but I’m probably one of those gifts first, so I realize that. We have to tighten that up, play a little better defensively very seriously. ”
Panarin, whose words were conveyed by the interpreter Nik Bobrov, the director of the European research club, was interrupted in English.
“And pass the puck on,” he said bitterly.
The Rangers – 6-1-2 in the last nine – have two more this weekend against the Devils, who are simply not ready to hang out with the big boys as long as the honest effort is offered by the other side. No offense to talented young athletes and veteran professionals on their side, but the list looks like a glorified AHL team. The Blueshirts have to come up with four points this weekend to maintain even an appearance of a chance to overtake Boston.
There were a couple of goals from the back, with Jacob Trouba defeating Mackenzie Blackwood from a distance just 47 seconds into the game before Ryan Lindgren received his first in 98 games since November 10, 2019, scoring the goal. 2-0 from the slot at 6:39.
There has been a slight change in the dynamics of the back-end in the last week or so, as the Trouba-K’Andre Miller pair has received an equal share of responsibility with the Lindgren-Adam Fox tandem, whose game has dropped a bit.
Maybe Lindgren was hit or a little tired. Maybe Fox had become somewhat seduced by points. But there was a reduction in the level of the two students. Meanwhile, however, Trouba played his best hockey as a Ranger, growing the same as at the end of last year.
Indeed, after Fox led the team in ice time in 34 of the first 39 games (one of which he missed), Trouba stepped into the club in three of the last four games, including this 23:44.
“He brings a lot of things to the table that we don’t have,” Quinn said of Trouba. “This guy is a return in many ways to his approach to playing the game.
“The thing that is underestimated about him is his ability to puck – I think he makes a great exit – and he plays hard and creates a mentality in our locker room. He means a lot to us on and off the ice. People talk about the leadership role they embraced this year, but I definitely like what’s going on, and on the ice. ”
The balanced goals of Trouba and Lindgren represented 11 and 12 of the club from the defenders from the last 23 matches. The blue lines combined for three uniform goals in the first 20 competitions.
“You need all five boys involved offensively, and we’re definitely asking our God to be involved,” Quinn said. “At the beginning of the year, I don’t think we were doing that, but we are now and we are being offended.”
The rangers did what they needed to do. They did business. The mandate is to do it again on Saturday and then again on Sunday.