First Period:
- Kaapo Kakko (5) Assists: K’Andre Miller (9), Jacob Trouba (8)
Second Period:
- Jonathan Marchessault (11) (Power Play) Assists: Chandler Stephenson (16), Shea Theodore (18)
Third Period:
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- Mika Zibanejad (14) (Power Play) Assists: Artemi Panarin (25), Adam Fox (22)
- Filip Chytil (5) Assists: Barclay Goodrow (6), Artemi Panarin (26)
- Alexis Lafreniere (5) Assists: Mika Zibanejad (17), Adam Fox (23)
- Mika Zibanejad (15) (Power Play) Assists: Artemi Panarin (27), Vincent Trocheck (9)
Stats:
- Heading into the third period the game could have gone either way. The Rangers were really good in the first, took a lot of penalties in the second and Vegas controlled that period. But the two things that led the Rangers last season were coming through tonight. Igor Shesterkin was very good and early in the third period the PP came through. They scored twice more in short order to put the game away, and scored another PP goal later, but the two pillars of last season came up big to lead to another very important and, at times, very impressive win.
- It’s been a game and a half, but the Rangers look like a new team with these lines. They look so much deeper with the potential of two scoring lines and then a third line that can score, be physical, grind and be a nuisance. The Rangers didn’t sign Vincent Trocheck to be a third line center and Chris Kreider has been a fixture on the top line for a few years, but the two of them, and Jimmy Vesey, can be a huge match up problem as a third line. If it all works and the team wins I don’t think anyone will care
- It helps that Filip Chytil, when he’s able to be on the ice, has been very strong and looks good so far with Artemi Panarin. Panarin had one of his best games in weeks and the team as a whole, for most of the game, played fast, they played with confidence, flow and like the team they are supposed to be.
- Barclay Goodrow was all over the place and was involved in just about everything.
- Kaapo Kakko scored and had a strong game, back-to-back games with goals, and a strong game for Alexis Lafreniere and that top-line looked really good.
- The last two games have had a lot of encouraging signs, especially their play in the third period. Two games does not mean that the season has been saved and the Rangers are going to run off 12 wins, but there are positive signs that weren’t there over the past few weeks. Colorado is banged up, but still a good test, and the two games next week, against the Devils on Monday and Toronto next Thursday will be very good tests to see where the team is. But no matter what, they are starting to resemble the team that they should be.