First Period:
- Vincent Trocheck (4) Assists: Alexis Lafreniere (3), Erik Gustafsson (6)
Second Period:
- Brandon Duhaime (3) Assists: Brock Faber (5), Ryan Hartman (4)
Third Period:
Ad
- Alexis Lafreniere (5) Assists: Artemi Panarin (14), Vincent Trocheck (5)
- Blake Wheeler (1) (Power Play) Assists: Will Cuylle (2), Alexis Lafreniere (4)
- Artemi Panarin (8) (Empty Net) Assists: Vincent Trocheck (6), Jacob Trouba (4)
Three Stars:
- 3: Vincent Trocheck
- 2: Louis Domingue
- 1: Alexis Lafreniere
Stats:
Adam Rotter:
- The Rangers dominated the first, got dominated in the second and got their game back on track in the third to make it two in a row and points in ten straight.
- It was two different games through the first 40 minutes, similar to Saturday’s loss in Minnesota. They just had nothing in the second period…except for Louis Domingue making a number of big saves to keep the game close. They came back strong in the third, but they can’t just skate past whatever happened in the second period.
- Ultimately the bad second period didn’t cost them and their best and most consistent line came through to grab the lead back. Unfortunately for Filip Chytil, I can’t see how he just gets his spot between Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere back if Vincent Trocheck continues to be hot. That line is sizzling, Panarin is back at his Hart Trophy level, Trocheck has stepped up huge and seems to be thriving under Peter Laviolette and Alexis Lafreniere is playing at a level we have not seen in his career.
- Whether it’s playing with Panarin, something with Peter Laviolette or just the natural progression of his NHL career, Lafreniere is hitting new levels every night. He looks faster, looks stronger, he gets in on the forecheck and he looks confident with the puck. He’s making plays and passes with confidence, he’s going to the net and is beginning to really tap into that #1 pick potential. It’s only 13 games and we need to see it over the course of a full season and beyond, but he looks like he has figured out how best to utilize his skillset in the NHL.
- The Rangers were terrific in front of Louis Domingue in the first period and anything but in the second, but Domginue was terrific in the second and the third to pick up the win. It’s a nice confidence boost to know that the Rangers seem to have nice depth in goal if it’s needed.
- Nice for Blake Wheeler to finally get his first goal. I’m not sure where the best spot for him in the lineup is, but hopefully, his game starts opening up. I wouldn’t say that his spot in the lineup is in question…..but there is another veteran RW who ended last season with the Rangers and looks to be getting close to returning. I don’t really believe that Patrick Kane is going to re-sign, for salary cap and the hope that their top-six RWs were going to be Kaapo Kakko and Lafreniere reasons, but like last season, if Kane chooses to be a Ranger it could be Wheeler that ends up being expendable in some way. Wheeler isn’t Kane, but the Rangers chose Wheeler to be that veteran, and hopefully, he can get going.
- They avenged a bad loss against Minnesota tonight and they can do the same against Columbus on Sunday before a break in the schedule.