First Period:
- Chris Kreider (20) Assists: Vincent Trocheck (20)
- Vincent Trocheck (14) Assists: Barclay Goodrow (14), Ryan Lindgren (14)
Second Period:
- Phil Kessel (9) Assists: William Carrier (6), William Karlsson (23)
Third Period:
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- Filip Chytil (16) Assists: Braden Schneider (7), Ben Harpur (3)
- Jimmy Vesey (9) (Empty Net) Assists: Braden Schneider (8)
Three Stars:
- 3: Chris Kreider
- 2: Vincent Trocheck
- 1: Jaro Halak
Stats:
- Jaro Halak played the Igor Shesterkin role in tonight’s game. He was excellent all game, but especially in the first period when the Rangers seemed more than a step slow and behind. He was there and he has really been terrific in his last bunch of starts.
- Neither team played all that sharp as it seemed like they both had an eye on the break coming after tonight’s game, but the Rangers took advantage of their chances, got a couple of bounces go their way and picked up the two points to go into the break with a good feeling.
- Chris Kreider looked like Chris Kreider again tonight and I really like that line with him, Trocheck and Goodrow. It’s a two-way line that will forecheck, be physical and play a simple game. It’s a line that the Rangers could use to match up against top-lines in the playoffs and still create offense. It’s likely fewer minutes for Kreider and Trocheck and a couple of more for Goodrow, but it makes the team look so much deeper.
- The Kid Line had another nice game and Filip Chytil continues to score and play well.
- With 49 games in the books the Rangers are 27-14-8, have a goal differential of plus 28 and sit third in the Metro with 62 points. They are a totally different team over the last two months than they were the first two months of the season and they look a lot more like the team they are supposed to be. They aren’t perfect and likely never will be, but they are figuring out how to play at a consistent level and that is putting them in positions where they can stay in games and then find ways to win them. They are in good playoff position right now, four points up on the Caps and, at this very moment, four back of the Devils. When they return from the All-Star break on 2/6 against Calgary they will be about four weeks or so from the deadline. We will see what direction Chris Drury takes and whether he looks for a big swing, medium swing or just look for depth.
- They return on 2/6 with three straight at home against Calgary, Vancouver and Seattle and then the next night in Carolina.