There was an actual possibility the Rangers could’ve entered this holiday break with their season hanging within the balance given how their season began. As a substitute, the Blueshirts were capable of step away from the ice feeling like they deserved the four-day layoff after clawing their way back into the playoff conversation with eight wins of their last 10 games leading as much as it.
The pride that permeated from the locker room after their 5-3 win over the Islanders last week was tangible. As a team, that they had discussed ending the ultimate stretch before the break strong — they usually did. It might just be the turning point within the season the Rangers will look back on.
“I believe we’re just confident,” head coach Gerard Gallant said. “I believe we be ok with our team. We be ok with our game, for essentially the most part. Each time we [track] scoring possibilities, we’re often ahead of the opposite team in those games. I believe we’ve played rather well the last nine or 10 games, whatever it’s. Competing and playing well. And we’re getting some puck luck, regardless that we’re still hitting goal posts. We’re getting some puck luck and we didn’t have that for many of the first 20-25 games of the season. I hate saying that, but that’s what I really imagine.
“Our record must have been higher than when it was the primary 25, and it wasn’t. We found a technique to dig down. While you work hard and compete, good things often occur and that’s what happened the last 10 games.”
There have already been so many highs and lows through just 35 games, however it’s made for a wild ride. Within the spirit of the 12 Days of Christmas, here’s a dozen superlatives that capture the Rangers season to this point:
Best goal
The sheer athleticism and elite skill that was required on K’Andre Miller’s knees-to-skates breakaway goal in Philadelphia on Dec. 17 was outrageous. This was not only the Rangers’ best goal of the season, it thoroughly might be the NHL’s best goal of the season.
Out of the penalty box, Miller chipped the puck off the boards and out of the defensive zone to leap out past the Flyers’ Travis Sanheim. Miller zeroed in on goalie Carter Hart before he was blatantly tripped by Sanheim, which caused the Rangers defensemen to fall to his knees. Because the referee’s hand shot as much as signal that a penalty shot was in store, Miller had already propped his skates back underneath him, all while keeping the puck on his stick. He finished the breakaway without missing a single stride to offer the Rangers a 2-1 lead, which eventually become a 6-3 win.
“That one’s within the bag of course,” Miller said afterward.
Best save
With a goalie like Igor Shesterkin, there are too many saves that fit this category. As great as his Oct. 25 sprawling save on Mikko Rantanen’s breakaway in the primary meeting with the Avalanche was, the pokecheck Shesterkin made on Jack Hughes’ penalty shot when the Rangers were trailing 3-1 to the Devils on Dec. 12 mattered more. The Rangers went on to win 4-3 in extra time.
Best assist
Mika Zibanejad’s ridiculously long pass off the boards that bounced right to Chris Kreider for the game-winner over the Kings on Nov. 22 was marvelous. What was even higher was that it was a set play the 2 longest-tenured Rangers have practiced.
“I believe we’ve done it so again and again previously, it’s not at all times there, but just happened to be there and he made an unbelievable play,” Kreider said on the time. “I just type of take off, he sees it. Been playing long enough, I do know that he’s going to make that play.”
Best quote
In such an up-and-down season, there’s been just as many gloomy quotes as positive ones. Shesterkin’s “the goalie played a s–t game again, I’m ashamed” proclamation was an unforgettable one. As was Artemi Panarin asking reporters in the event that they had a YouTube account to look at the move he pulled on former teammate Alexandar Georgiev within the shootout win over the Avalanche.
Nevertheless it was Jacob Trouba’s all-encompassing quote in regards to the state of the Rangers at the bottom point of the season that stands out.
“We’re going through it,” the Rangers captain said. “There’s a variety of the story left to be written. It’s not a done thing by any means, however it’s occurring for a bit now and something needs to alter. There must be somewhat more of a pushback from ourselves inside.”
Best win
The 5-3 win over Islanders just before break, due to what it stood for and who it was against.
Worst loss
The 4-3 loss to the Oilers on Nov. 26. After leading Edmonton 3-0 through the primary 40 minutes, the Rangers gave up 4 goals within the third period.
Turning point
The Rangers may not have began truly playing higher hockey until afterward within the win streak this month, but Trouba’s string of fights and the throwing of his helmet/screaming on the bench in the primary meeting with the Blackhawks on Dec. 3 definitely woke up something within the Rangers.
Surprise
Who would’ve guessed that Jimmy Vesey could be playing a few of the most effective hockey of his profession in his second stint with the Rangers? Along with six goals and 6 assists, Vesey has simply been a reliable and consistent contributor night in and night out.
Disappointment
The 11-10-5 start.
Coaching decision that worked
Essentially the most recent was moving Vincent Trocheck away from Panarin and forging the Kreider-Trocheck-Vesey line within the last eight games.
Coaching decision that flopped
Zac Jones had one stretch of six straight games this season. Every other run was only two to a few games. No young player goes to have the ability to get right into a groove under such circumstances. Now, Jones is in Hartford and Ben Harpur is currently the Rangers’ sixth defenseman — and the organization still doesn’t know what it has in Jones.
Developing story
The curious case of Vitali Kravtsov continues. Will he get taken off the fourth line and given one other top-six look? Will Gallant make him the thirteenth forward again? Will Kravtsov prove he could be a full-time contributing NHLer?
There was an actual possibility the Rangers could’ve entered this holiday break with their season hanging within the balance given how their season began. As a substitute, the Blueshirts were capable of step away from the ice feeling like they deserved the four-day layoff after clawing their way back into the playoff conversation with eight wins of their last 10 games leading as much as it.
The pride that permeated from the locker room after their 5-3 win over the Islanders last week was tangible. As a team, that they had discussed ending the ultimate stretch before the break strong — they usually did. It might just be the turning point within the season the Rangers will look back on.
“I believe we’re just confident,” head coach Gerard Gallant said. “I believe we be ok with our team. We be ok with our game, for essentially the most part. Each time we [track] scoring possibilities, we’re often ahead of the opposite team in those games. I believe we’ve played rather well the last nine or 10 games, whatever it’s. Competing and playing well. And we’re getting some puck luck, regardless that we’re still hitting goal posts. We’re getting some puck luck and we didn’t have that for many of the first 20-25 games of the season. I hate saying that, but that’s what I really imagine.
“Our record must have been higher than when it was the primary 25, and it wasn’t. We found a technique to dig down. While you work hard and compete, good things often occur and that’s what happened the last 10 games.”
There have already been so many highs and lows through just 35 games, however it’s made for a wild ride. Within the spirit of the 12 Days of Christmas, here’s a dozen superlatives that capture the Rangers season to this point:
Best goal
The sheer athleticism and elite skill that was required on K’Andre Miller’s knees-to-skates breakaway goal in Philadelphia on Dec. 17 was outrageous. This was not only the Rangers’ best goal of the season, it thoroughly might be the NHL’s best goal of the season.
Out of the penalty box, Miller chipped the puck off the boards and out of the defensive zone to leap out past the Flyers’ Travis Sanheim. Miller zeroed in on goalie Carter Hart before he was blatantly tripped by Sanheim, which caused the Rangers defensemen to fall to his knees. Because the referee’s hand shot as much as signal that a penalty shot was in store, Miller had already propped his skates back underneath him, all while keeping the puck on his stick. He finished the breakaway without missing a single stride to offer the Rangers a 2-1 lead, which eventually become a 6-3 win.
“That one’s within the bag of course,” Miller said afterward.
Best save
With a goalie like Igor Shesterkin, there are too many saves that fit this category. As great as his Oct. 25 sprawling save on Mikko Rantanen’s breakaway in the primary meeting with the Avalanche was, the pokecheck Shesterkin made on Jack Hughes’ penalty shot when the Rangers were trailing 3-1 to the Devils on Dec. 12 mattered more. The Rangers went on to win 4-3 in extra time.
Best assist
Mika Zibanejad’s ridiculously long pass off the boards that bounced right to Chris Kreider for the game-winner over the Kings on Nov. 22 was marvelous. What was even higher was that it was a set play the 2 longest-tenured Rangers have practiced.
“I believe we’ve done it so again and again previously, it’s not at all times there, but just happened to be there and he made an unbelievable play,” Kreider said on the time. “I just type of take off, he sees it. Been playing long enough, I do know that he’s going to make that play.”
Best quote
In such an up-and-down season, there’s been just as many gloomy quotes as positive ones. Shesterkin’s “the goalie played a s–t game again, I’m ashamed” proclamation was an unforgettable one. As was Artemi Panarin asking reporters in the event that they had a YouTube account to look at the move he pulled on former teammate Alexandar Georgiev within the shootout win over the Avalanche.
Nevertheless it was Jacob Trouba’s all-encompassing quote in regards to the state of the Rangers at the bottom point of the season that stands out.
“We’re going through it,” the Rangers captain said. “There’s a variety of the story left to be written. It’s not a done thing by any means, however it’s occurring for a bit now and something needs to alter. There must be somewhat more of a pushback from ourselves inside.”
Best win
The 5-3 win over Islanders just before break, due to what it stood for and who it was against.
Worst loss
The 4-3 loss to the Oilers on Nov. 26. After leading Edmonton 3-0 through the primary 40 minutes, the Rangers gave up 4 goals within the third period.
Turning point
The Rangers may not have began truly playing higher hockey until afterward within the win streak this month, but Trouba’s string of fights and the throwing of his helmet/screaming on the bench in the primary meeting with the Blackhawks on Dec. 3 definitely woke up something within the Rangers.
Surprise
Who would’ve guessed that Jimmy Vesey could be playing a few of the most effective hockey of his profession in his second stint with the Rangers? Along with six goals and 6 assists, Vesey has simply been a reliable and consistent contributor night in and night out.
Disappointment
The 11-10-5 start.
Coaching decision that worked
Essentially the most recent was moving Vincent Trocheck away from Panarin and forging the Kreider-Trocheck-Vesey line within the last eight games.
Coaching decision that flopped
Zac Jones had one stretch of six straight games this season. Every other run was only two to a few games. No young player goes to have the ability to get right into a groove under such circumstances. Now, Jones is in Hartford and Ben Harpur is currently the Rangers’ sixth defenseman — and the organization still doesn’t know what it has in Jones.
Developing story
The curious case of Vitali Kravtsov continues. Will he get taken off the fourth line and given one other top-six look? Will Gallant make him the thirteenth forward again? Will Kravtsov prove he could be a full-time contributing NHLer?
