First Period:
- Jake Evans (4) Assists: Josh Anderson (8), Tanner Pearson (6)
Second Period:
- Chris Kreider (25) Assists: Mika Zibanejad (33), Jacob Trouba (17)
- Will Cuylle (10) Assists: Ryan Lindgren (7), Adam Fox (32)
- Mika Zibanejad (17) (Shorthanded) Assists: Adam Fox (33), Artemi Panarin (38)
- Chris Kreider (26) (Power Play) Assists: Artemi Panarin (39), Adam Fox (34)
- Juraj Slafkovsky (12) Assists: Cole Caufield (26)
Third Period:
- Vincent Trocheck (16) Assists: Artemi Panarin (40), Braden Schneider (11)
- Cole Caufield (18) (Power Play) Unassisted
- Chris Kreider (27) Assists: Mika Zibanejad (34), Jimmy Vesey (6)
Three Stars:
- 3: Mika Zibanejad
- 2: Adam Fox
- 1: Chris Kreider
Stats:
Adam Rotter:
- It was a first 25-30 minutes or so for the Rangers that left a lot to be desired and then Chris Kreider scored and six more pucks followed to turn what was looking like another frustrating game into a blowout.
- It sure seemed like once the Rangers got one they were able to get Montreal on their heels a bit and they started to resemble the offensive team that they have the potential to be.
- Maybe most importantly were the three goals from Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad finally ripping his slapshot for a goal. Both had been slumping with Zibanejad only having two goals in the last 17 games and Kreider only having four in the past 16. It’s hard to imagine the Rangers doing much of anything if those two aren’t helping to lead the way offensively. Kreider is streaky and will get his goals, but Zibanejad needs to keep shooting and taking that slapshot. Everything about the Rangers, that line, the offense and the PP will be better if Zibanejad starts taking that shot more.
- It was a nice offensive night for a bunch of players that had been a little slow going and the PP finally converted. It’s against a very shaky Montreal team, but confidence has to start somewhere and hopefully, they will be able to build off this offense.
- Defensively the Rangers were not at their sharpest and this was similar to some of those games after Thanksgiving where they were able to outscore their problems. It wasn’t a perfect game, but scoring has been tough to come by and it was nice to see them fill the net tonight and get three different lines involved.
- Every time Kaapo Kakko scores I hope that it will be the goal or the moment where it all starts to click for him offensively. Hopefully, his goal tonight can do that. His line with Will Cuylle and Jonny Brodzinski has been noticeable and pretty effective. I’d still prefer to see Kakko get regular top-six offensive minutes, but the line has been nice the last few games.
- There is also the terrible-looking injury to Blake Wheeler that sure seemed like it ended his season. Maybe it won’t and Wheeler will return later in the season or for the playoffs, but it was a very tough scene when he couldn’t get back to his feet on his own. Who replaces him on the top-line will be interesting. A bunch of different people rotated tonight. The easiest move would be to put Kakko up there and give it another go. Jimmy Vesey could get a shot and he probably deserves it, but Peter Laviolette seems to like him on the third line. Maybe Will Cuylle switches sides and gets moved up. Maybe Brennan Othmann, though it seems unlikely, gets called up to fill either the spot next to Zibanejad and Kreider or to replace Kakko or Cuylle on the third line. Part of me wants to see Alexis Lafreniere in that spot, but it’s so hard to break up that line. In a perfect world, Alexis Lafreniere goes into that spot and carries over his strong play to make that into a strong, consistent offensive line and Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck pull the best out of Kaapo Kakko offensively, though it seems unlikely. Maybe they make a move for Vladimir Tarasenko and put him back where he was for a lot of his time last year. They were already looking to potentially fill that spot and replace Wheeler on that line at the trade deadline, but maybe this forces them into making a move sooner.
- It’s six in a row and they look for seven on Sunday against the Islanders in the Stadium Series game.