TAMPA — Rangers Turnaround in Season Opener
On Wednesday night, it felt like the Rangers’ season was completely reshaped. Previously, they struggled to find the net, but in a decisive 7-3 victory against the Lightning, it seemed like the puck just couldn’t stay out of the goal. It was quite a shift from earlier performances.
A standout performance came from one player who shot 7-of-21, marking a seasonal high. This offensive surge even chased Lightning’s elite goaltender, Andrei Vasilevskiy, from the net before the third period concluded.
Admittedly, defensive efforts were, well, a bit lackluster at times. Both teams likely wished for a more polished gameplay. Still, racking up 13 goals over the last two matches is certainly a positive trend for the Blueshirts. Scoring against a tough team like the Lightning holds some significance, I think.
The Rangers managed to navigate through a chaotic first period with a narrow lead.
From the onset, the visitors set the tone, capitalizing on their shots. Tampa Bay did manage to keep pace early in the game, matching goals with the Rangers before the first intermission.
Will Quill, after scoring his second power-play goal in four games since moving to the top unit, opened the scoring just over a minute into the game. He redirected a shot from Adam Fox into the boards.
Shortly thereafter, Mika Zibanejad made a slick play, faking a shot on a rush and passing to JT Miller. The puck took a deflection off Erik Cernak’s skate, then inadvertently off Miller’s skate, sneaking past Vasilevskiy.
While Scott Sabourin stepped in for the Lightning, the Rangers quickly got back to scoring.
After an odd-man rush sprung by Carson Soucy, Artemi Panarin sent a cross-ice pass to Alexis Lafreniere, who netted his third goal in four games, stretching the score to 3-1.
Zemgus Girgensons brought Tampa Bay back within one, but the Rangers quickly responded. Will Borgen scored his first goal of the season, regaining a two-goal cushion, although Jake Guentzel kept Tampa within striking distance heading into intermission.
The second period saw Tampa Bay take control of possession, even outperforming the Rangers in shots on goal (12-5). However, the Rangers were the only ones to find the back of the net.
Vincent Trocheck, revitalized after returning from the injured list, scored twice—once in the second and again in the third. His second goal came from a setup by Panarin, boosting their lead to 5-3, while his third extended it to three goals.
Interestingly, this marked Panarin’s ninth point in his last four games, following a head shave that seems to have made a noticeable impact. Who could’ve predicted that a simple haircut would influence a hockey team so dramatically?
