First Period:
- Travis Konecny (15) Assists: Trevor Zegras (25), Travis Sanheim (15)
- Artemi Panarin (17) Assists: Vincent Trocheck (17), Alexis Lafreniere (17)
- Mika Zibanejad (19) Assists: J.T. Miller (16), Braden Schneider (7)
- Brennan Othmann (1) Assists: Will Cuylle (14)
Second Period:
- Mika Zibanejad (20) (Power Play) Assists: Artemi Panarin (36), Vincent Trocheck (18)
- Mika Zibanejad (21) Assists: J.T. Miller (17), Scott Morrow (5)
- Artemi Panarin (18) Assists: Alexis Lafreniere (18)
- Travis Sanheim (6) (Shorthanded) Assists: Travis Konecny (26)
Third Period:
- Trevor Zegras (19) Assists: Denver Barkey (5), Owen Tippett (14)
Stats:
Adam Rotter:
- It was nice to watch a game where the booing that the Rangers created was not directed at them.
- They played well today, took advantage of shoddy goaltending and banged up team and their best players performed like it. Who knows, maybe that letter was the ultimate kick in the butt this team needed. Probably not and the Rangers just took advantage of a struggling team the way that they have been taken advantage of plenty and especially in the last week.
- The question with Artemi Panarin remains whether he is going to waive his no-move clause but the timing of when he may decide to do that is interesting. He isn’t playing in the Olympics so there is no risk of injury there and three weeks off would certainly allow Panarin to adjust to new surroundings, but he’d have to make that decision soon. He could stay undecided, and hope that the Rangers go on some kind of crazy and dominant winning streak, and decide to stay in hoping he could get one more run here. My guess is that he decides to waive for the sure thing shot at the playoffs and that if he doesn’t he is likely to get booed at MSG following the trade deadline.
- Mika Zibanejad has been excellent this season and while his numbers will probably take some hit when Artemi Panarin is ultimately moved, a 30-goal season doesn’t seem out of reach. Zibanejad’s role on the ice and as a leader will be important as the Rangers go through this transition.
- A lot has been made about Brennan Othmann’s future and a desire that he may have for a fresh start, but I’m hoping that actually scoring a goal will create a fresh start that will benefit both him and the Rangers. He’s a goal scorer and not scoring through 30+ games, over the course of a few years and going up and down to Hartford, had clearly been weighing on him. He’s going to get an opportunity and if he can seize it and earn Mike Sullivan’s trust then that is the best way forward. If he doesn’t then you can always move him at the draft, but so much about the rest of this season is seeing who and what the Rangers really have.
- It’s nice to win and while a high draft pick, despite the Rangers lack of success in either picking the right player or developing that player, is going to be a focus, winning is still important, especially when it’s the players who are still going to be here that do it. Winning games because Taylor Raddysh and Sam Carrick score isn’t great, but winning games because Scott Morrow, Gabe Perreault, Othmann, Noah Laba and Alexis Lafreniere lead the way is important. Mika Zibanejad and JT Miller tend towards the latter group because those guys are the veterans and the ones who need to set the example.
- The Rangers now head out west to visit Chris Kreider and Jacob Trouba in Anaheim on Monday.