Four games were on the docket this week for the Broadway Blueshirts. They had some games where they played well but they were also dominated by one of the best teams in the West. Let’s break down another week of New York Rangers hockey!
New York Rangers vs. Chicago Blackhawks – 12/7/21
The Rangers came into this game right on the heels of beating the Hawks 3-2. This time instead of MSG, the battle between these two squads made their way to the United Center. The Rangers scored just over a minute in when Jacob Trouba would send home a beautiful feed from Artemiy Paranin. Panarin would collect his 500th NHL point on the play. The Blackhawks would show signs of life and score twice before the period ended, taking a 2-1 lead into the locker room.
Making our way to the second period, Panarin would rifle home a power-play goal just around three minutes in to tie the game at two. Minutes later, Jacob Trouba would plant a massive hit on Jujhar Khaira of the Hawks and play would stop due to injury. Trouba’s hit, although clean, was hard to watch and thankfully Khaira will make a full recovery. The game would head to the third period tied at two goals a piece.
The third period was all Rangers with them scoring four straight goals from Chris Kreider, Kevin Rooney, Panarin again and finally Barclay Goodrow. This win was as close to domination as you can get and the Rangers swept their home and home series with the Hawks winning by a combined score of 9-4. Next up, the Avalanche come to MSG.
New York Rangers vs. Colorado Avalanche – 12/8/21
Oh boy this game was one to forget for New York Rangers fans. With the exception of one play at the end of the first period, this is a game where you burn the footage and tell your team to forget about it if you’re the coach. The Rangers looked tired, fatigued and you could tell after getting in the previous night at 2:30 am from Chicago and from playing so many games recently that this game was a set up for failure. That prediction came true.
The Rangers would lose 7-3 to the Avalanche. The second period was brutal as the Avs scored five goals, including two in 22 seconds from Logan O’Connor. The lone bright spot I mentioned before was Rangers rookie defenseman Nils Lundkvist scoring his first NHL goal with a beautiful snipe on the power-play at the end of the first period. Adam Huska, a rookie goalie playing in his first NHL game got shelled and it almost felt unfair to make this kid start his first game against a powerhouse like the Avs. Real trial by fire stuff. Unfortunately for the Rangers, everything that went wrong did and this is one no fan wants to remember.
New York Rangers vs. Buffalo Sabres – 12/10/21
Ah this one felt nice, even though they made us sweat for it. The Rangers made their way up to the KeyBank center in Buffalo on a chilly Friday night and left Buffalo with a 2-1 win.
Mika Zibanejad would score his fifth goal of the season in the first period. Panarin would rip a cross ice pass that would get deflected off a player on the Sabres and right to Zibanejad. Zibanejad then collected the puck on a silver platter and slammed it past the Sabres netminder for a 1-0 Rangers lead. The teams would enter the locker room with the Rangers holding the lead.
To the second period we go and the lone highlight was thankfully a Rangers goal. 2020 first overall pick Alexis Lafreniere seems to have found a spot that he enjoys scoring from quite a bit. Adam Fox would place a nice hard shot right on net at the goalie’s pads. The shot then rebounded right off the goalie’s pads and straight to Lafreniere by the left circle. Lafreniere would rip the puck from there and score to give the Rangers a 2-0 lead. It was his sixth of the year.
The third was eventful with the Sabres showing some life and ultimately having the tying goal get called back for being way offside. Rasmus Dahlin cost his team a goal from skating back to the blueline slowly. The Rangers would hold on for a 2-1 lead.
New York Rangers vs. Nashville Predators – 12/12/21
Well talk about a dud of a game. The Rangers were pretty awful to start this game but got much better as the game went on. Many of their top guys had their chances but the real story of this game was Nashville goalie Jusse Saros. Saros stole the show and the game with his many jaw dropping saves throughout the game. When the Rangers turned up the heat in the second and third periods, Saros was the sole reason the Preds were still in the game. Saros would finish with 32 saves and the shutout.
Some nights you just get goalied.
NYR record: 18-6-3
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