First Period:
- Sebastian Aho (31) Assists: Martin Necas (38)
Second Period:
- Artemi Panarin (24) Assists: Mika Zibanejad (41), Vladimir Tarasenko (28)
Third Period:
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- Adam Fox (11) Assists: Artemi Panarin (58), Mika Zibanejad (42)
Stats:
- It took about half the game, but the Rangers started to play the way they needed to play and came away with the win.
- The Rangers barely had the puck for the first half of the game, but they started to find their way, started to create some chances, started to do a better job at limiting the Hurricanes, got a goal to tie it, some big saves from Igor Shesterkin and ultimately they found a way behind Adam Fox’s third period goal.
- With how Carolina was possessing the puck, with how the Rangers didn’t/couldn’t convert on their 5 on 3 and then Carolina getting the first goal, it seemed like it was going to be another loss, but as the game went on the Rangers started to play simpler, smarter and won more battles. It’s not as if the Hurricanes stopped coming, the Rangers just started to defend better, compete better and make this a more even game.
- The Rangers didn’t get a ton of shots, but they had some good opportunities and ultimately they converted on two from two of their biggest and most important players.
- Igor Shesterkin continued to play well and possibly saved the game/turned the game for the Rangers in stopping that 2 on 1 from Jesse Puljujarvi when it was still 1-0. Panarin scored a couple of minutes later and the Rangers were better from there.
- Vladimir Tarasenko had a real power forward type of game, going to the net, firing his shot. He’s been pretty good for more than a few games now and that is encouraging as he finds more of his game.
- I wonder if the Rangers should just let Ryan Lindgren rest for at least another few days. He’s too important in the playoffs to play him at a compromised level at the end of the regular season.
- The Rangers visit the previously red hot and now losers of two in a row Panthers on Saturday evening in what is pretty much a must win game for them in the wild card race. Facing off against a desperate team like that should be another good test for the Rangers after they did pretty well in tonight’s test.