Rangers considering significant revamp of stale power play
The Rangers’ power play has fallen into a rut, so head coach Peter Laviolette has made some major personnel changes to refresh the team. Laviolette will try to take a more balanced approach to the two power play groups, given the fact that this season’s mostly intact top unit has slumped to 0-of-14 over the […]
Rangers’ third line showing promise and goal-scoring capabilities
The need for Johnny Brodzinski, the emergence of Will Quill, and the offensive struggles of Kaapo Kakko have created a makeshift third line for the Rangers that has really started to show signs of promise as of late. Friday night’s 4-3 overtime win over the Blackhawks marked the trio’s fifth straight matchup, a line designed […]
Rangers salvage win in overtime over Blackhawks
CHICAGO — The feel-good energy the Rangers generated over the past two games partially dissipated after just one inning. Facing the last-place Blackhawks, the Blueshirts scored two points in the final frame of their game against United on Friday night before restoring their reputation with Mika Zibanejad’s game-winning goal 2:37 into overtime. took the lead. […]
Rangers credit tighter defense as key to three-game win streak
In Vincent Trocheck’s eyes, most games between two competing teams at this point in the season have a similar flow to the playoffs. When the Rangers defeated the Lightning on Wednesday night, head coach Peter Laviolette noticed that. Trocheck agreed. There weren’t many scoring opportunities or goals, and there weren’t many ways to break through […]
Mikhail Sergachev taken off on stretcher after hit on Rangers’ Alexis Lafreniere
Lightning defenseman Mikhail Sergachev was stretchered off the ice at Madison Square Garden during the second period of Tampa Bay’s 3-1 loss to the Rangers on Wednesday night. The 25-year-old, playing in his first game back after missing out on a place in the last 17 with a lower-body injury, crashed to the ice after […]
Rangers’ bottom six makes big statement in hard-fought win
It is important to note that references to the “bottom six” are not meant in a pejorative manner. As the March 8 trade deadline approaches, the Rangers will have to improve their bottom-six, who hasn’t been able to become a true third-line center since Filip Sitil went down on Nov. 2. Jimmy Vesey is a […]
Jonathan Quick propels Rangers past rival Lightning
As Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette puts it, schedule is schedule, but the Rangers rose to the challenge of facing two of their toughest opponents who will likely be tied after the All-Star break. This 3-1 victory over the Lightning at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night was preceded by a gutsy overtime victory over […]
Rangers’ defensive depth aces stress-filled stretch
The situation wasn’t particularly ideal for a publicly traded Rangers team when Las Vegas’ Pavel Dorofeev got hit in the head by Jacob Trouba’s elbow in a matchup late in the second period at the Garden on Jan. 26. The captain, who was not penalized for the play, was given a two-game suspension by the […]
Rangers enter delicate Jonathan Quick-Igor Shesterkin dance
Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette twice reiterated that goaltender Igor Shesterkin “is still our player.” But Jonathan Quick started Wednesday night’s game against the Lightning, his third straight game and second consecutive game following the All-Star break. This is a testament to the 38-year-old’s excellent play of late compared to the Rangers. No. 1 netminder […]
Rangers’ Johnny Brodzinski still learning NHL lessons
In past seasons, Johnny Brodzinski would never have been in this spot. This was his 21st consecutive game and 22nd total for the Rangers in the 2023-24 season. Careers that have been recalled and reassigned have finally brought some stability. His name no longer appears in the transaction log. And after Tom Wilson crushed Brodzinski […]