Rangers’ Gavrikov Shines in Tight Victory
Vladislav Gavrikov started the match feeling a bit off. Honestly, he almost didn’t want to continue. Yet, in a surprising turn, he ended up playing a crucial role in clinching the win.
The new addition to the team faced a setback early in the second period when he dropped to the ice after practicing his high-slap shot. Fortunately, Rangers trainer Andy Hosler came out to help. After a brief moment on the bench, Gavrikov returned to play a vital part in the Rangers’ 3-2 win against the Blues at Madison Square Garden.
“It’s not about getting hit in the face—that’s what matters most,” he explained. It didn’t take long for him to shake things off and get back into the game.
Just a minute into the third period, with the score tied, Gavrikov made a shot from the blue line. It deflected off Alexis Lafrenière, which helped push the puck into the net.
Following that, Gavrikov chased down a rebound behind the net and set up Adam Edstrom with a slick backhand pass, pulling the Rangers ahead 3-1 with 11:04 left in the game.
Interestingly, despite having never topped 33 points in his previous six seasons, Gavrikov has now scored four points in just the last two games.
Coach Mike Sullivan noted, “When we discuss Vladi, it’s often about his defensive play. But I think he’s really good at making plays from the offensive blue line.” He added that Gavrikov has been part of many goals lately, showing great decision-making.
In other team news, JT Miller missed his second straight game due to an upper-body injury sustained last week in Colorado. His status is still day-to-day. Vincent Trocheck missed a recent practice but returned to score his fourth goal of the season. Meanwhile, Edstrom managed to find the net again, making it two goals in his last three games after being a healthy scratch before.
Brett Berard, recently cut from the roster, made his season debut after being called up from AHL Hartford. This 23-year-old winger didn’t hold back, registering two shots on goal and even earning a double-minor in just over nine minutes of play.
In the early moments of his return, Berard almost scored on a rebound but unfortunately hit the side of the net. Later, he fired a wrist shot that was saved by the Blues’ goalie, Joel Hofer.
Sullivan commented on Berard’s performance, noting, “I thought he played well. It would’ve been nice if he had been a bit more responsible with his stick in the third, but his energy was great.” Sullivan appreciated Berard’s speed and shooting ability, saying he was eager to see how well he’d perform.
Reflecting on being sent down just before the season started, Berard shared how difficult it was for him. He played 35 games with the Rangers last year, but this year, starting off with zero points in five games and experiencing a long wait for a call-up felt discouraging.
“Getting cut so late was really tough,” Berard admitted. “I think I lost some confidence. But going through that rough patch has made me mentally tougher. I feel pretty good about my game lately.”
Finally, Johnny Brodzinski stepped up to play alongside Trocheck and Artemi Panarin on the second line. After a slow start to the season, he has been solid in recent games, tallying his second assist. On another note, goaltender Jonathan Quick is sidelined with a lower-body injury following a collision during Saturday’s game.
