It’s rolling around the bend, and the New York Rangers are marching toward the end of the season after adding new faces at the trade deadline. The new boys in blue, Frank Vatrano and Andrew Copp, have wasted no time contributing goals and assists, appearing to fit in like they have been here all season. While Tyler Motte has not yet netted a goal or an assist, he has contributed in other ways with four blocks, 18 hits, and two takeaways.
The week started off good, but then the Rangers appeared to be lost the latter half of the week. For most of the season, people and fans would say the Rangers couldn’t win against teams who were possible playoff teams. Now it seems the opposite is true. They can’t seem to play well against teams in the league’s bottom half.
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New York Rangers @ Pittsburgh Penguins
March 29, 2022
PPG Paints Arena
W 3-2
1st Period
14:24-Brian Boyle, Brian Dumoulin & Kris Letang
2nd Period
13:32-Frank Vatrano, Mika Zibanejad & Chris Kreider
17:04-Braden Schneider, Artemi Panarin & Andrew Copp
3rd Period
01:06-Chris Kreider, Adam Fox & Artemi Panarin
10:37-Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin & Kris Letang
The Rangers faced the team they might be playing against in the playoffs. Like the last one, this game had more of a playoff feel. In the beginning, the Rangers were doing well, but they allowed the goal by the Penguins. In the second period, the Rangers continued to push offensively and were rewarded with two goals by Vatrano and Schneider.
The Rangers opened up the third with a goal by Kreider. This goal would make three straight goals by the Rangers. A little over midway into the game, Crosby scored a power-play goal for the Penguins. The Rangers had to hold on tight to their 3-2 lead. The boys in blue were able to hold on despite not being able to hit the empty net on three different attempts. Igor Shesterkin held down the fort to keep the penguins from scoring again.
New York Rangers @Detroit Red Wings
March 30, 2022
Little Caesars Arena
W/OT 5-4
1st Period
03:23-Ryan Reaves
09:59-Michael Rasmussen, Taro Hirose & Danny DeKeyser
17:23-Jakub Vrana & Moritz Seider
17:34-Filip Chytil, Patrik Nemeth & Braden Schneider
2nd Period
00:29-Tyler Bertuzzi, Moritz Seider & Lucas Raymond
12:15-Artemi Panarin, Frank Vatrano & Mika Zibanejad
3rd Period
05:56-Adam Erne, Marc Staal & Pius Suter
16:22-Chris Kreider, Artemi Panarin & Adam Fox
Overtime
01:34-Andrew Copp & Artemi Panarin
This game against the Red Wings was a little more than it should have been. Alexandar Georgiev was not at his best, but his teammates were able to bail him out in this one. It all started with a goal by Reaves; then, the Red Wings were able to take the lead with two goals by Rasmussen and Vrana. However, mere seconds after Vrana’s goal, Chytil was able to put it in the net to tie it up for the Rangers.
The second and third periods were essentially the same. The Red Wings scored to take the lead, and then the Rangers would score to tie it up. Panarin and Kreider were able to get the puck in the net, and Kreider’s goal in the third, tied it up, allowing the game to go into overtime. Copp was able to win it for the Rangers on a pass from Panarin. This goal is Copp’s seventh point since being traded to the team.
New York Rangers vs. New York Islanders
April 1, 2022
Madison Square Garden
L 3-0
1st Period
02:40-Casey Cizikas & Ryan Pulock
2nd Period
04:48-Matt Martin, Mathew Barzal & Ross Johnston
3rd Period
02:47-Mathew Barzal & Oliver Wahlstrom
Of course, it would be the Islanders who would bring the Rangers’ four-game win streak to an end. The Rangers had some good looks, but the Islanders were able to shut down anything the Rangers tried. The scoreboard is pretty self-explanatory. The Rangers appeared to play worse and worse, but mainly the Islanders did not let them get anything at all.
All the Islanders had to do was sit back on their lead and play defensively, which is precisely what happened. After that, the game was all Islanders, and the Rangers fans can only hope that the boys learn their lesson from this game and not let it happen again.
New York Rangers vs. Philadelphia Flyers
April 3, 2022
Madison Square Garden
L/SO 4-3
1st Period
05:54-Cameron York & Nate Thompson
06:44-Owen Tippett & Kevin Hayes
2nd Period
No Scoring
3rd Period
00:44-Joel Farabee, Travis Sanheim & Oskar Lindblom
01:22-Artemi Panarin, Jacob Trouba & K’Andre Miller
15:25-Mika Zibanejad, Frank Vatrano & Ryan Lindgren
15:40-Andrew Copp, Artemi Panarin & Barclay Goodrow
Overtime
No Scoring
Shootout
Cam Atkinson-No Goal
Mika Zibanejad-No Goal
Owen Tippett-No Goal
Artemi Panarin-No Goal
Kevin Hayes-Goal
Filip Chytil-No Goal
This game appeared to be a repeat of the game against the Islanders. Only in this game, the Rangers were putting the puck on the net, but with no success. Between hitting the posts and Martin Jones in net, the rangers were having no puck luck. Flyers were able to get it into the net in the first to lead 2-0. There was not much going on in the second, but both teams had some pretty good shots on goal, and both goalies made some pretty good saves.
The game could have been a disaster with the Flyers scoring less than a minute into the period. However, the Rangers responded with a goal by Panarin. There was some good back and forth, but the Rangers finally broke through and scored two goals within 15 seconds to bring it to a tie. However, the Rangers couldn’t capitalize and get another puck in net to win it in regulation.
Overtime was a scary place for both teams. Attempts were made to get the puck in the net, but the goaltenders were able to keep it out. So, with no goals, the game went to a shootout. The goalies were again keeping the puck out of the net until Hayes, a former Rangers player, was able to get the puck past Shesterkin. Unfortunately, the Rangers could not do the same, so Philadelphia won the game 4-3.
What We Learned This Week
The Rangers still are not playing a consistent, complete game. They appear to do well against better teams, but against teams on the lower end of the league, they can’t play well, it seems. This is not a good sign for the Rangers, who will make it into the playoffs regardless, with only 12 more games left. In those games, they will face the teams from this week again. Will they learn their lesson? It remains to be seen.
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Main Image Credit: Embed from Getty Images
