Not every game can be as riveting as the Rangers’ overtime win over the Flames on Monday, but the Blueshirts didn’t need anything exciting to secure another two points over the Canucks on Wednesday night.
All the Rangers needed was some will, which they managed to show as they defended a one-goal lead for a majority of the night en route to a 4-3 victory over Vancouver at Madison Square Garden. The Blueshirts did their thing against a team ranked seventh-to-last in the NHL, and in the process won for the third straight game.
“Wasn’t our best game, for sure,” said Rangers captain Jacob Trouba, who had two assists. “It feels better to win games as a group when you’re not your best. I think we’ve all probably been on teams in the past where we lose those games. You’ve got to bring you’re A game to win. It’s nice to be able to win a couple games when you don’t have your A game.
“It’s not a recipe for success, for us. Be better and work on it. Watch some tape and move on and play better next game.”
The Canucks never let the Rangers get comfortable. Toward the end of the second period, J.T. Miller forced a turnover through some aggressive forechecking before the Canucks forward found Vasily Podkolzin off the bench for a wonky shot that deflected off Artemi Panarin’s stick and in to cut the Rangers’ lead to 3-2.
Even after Mika Zibanejad tipped in a Trouba shot from the top of the zone toward the end of the third period for a 4-2 lead, Canucks star Elias Pettersson zoomed down the ice and buried one past Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin just 10 seconds later to keep his team within striking distance.
“Troubs and I both looked at each other thinking it was icing,” said K’Andre Miller, who had three assists for the first three-point night of his career. “Next thing you know, their guys are taking the puck and putting it in the back of the net. That’s just being ready for everything at any situation. We weren’t really prepared to that puck, but stuff happens in the game you can’t control.”
Filip Chytil remained scalding hot, extending his goal streak to five straight games with a tally in the first period. Taking a feed from Kaapo Kakko, who battled behind the Canucks’ net to make the pass, Chytil backhanded the puck past goalie Spencer Martin to give the Rangers a 2-0 lead 8:31 into the game.
The goal was Chytil’s 11th since Jan. 3, which is tied for the third most in the NHL over that span. His current five-game scoring tear also has tied his career-long streak, which he set Nov. 12-21, 2018.
Skating in their fifth game in a row together, all members of the Kid Line made their presence felt. In addition to Chytil’s goal, Alexis Lafreniere notched one by way of good positioning. Trouba’s slapper from the top of the zone deflected off Lafreniere and in for a 3-1 lead in the second period.
The Rangers needed that third goal to keep Vancouver at arm’s length, but the visitors capitalized on the opportunities given them. After the Rangers took a 2-0 lead less than halfway through the opening frame, the Canucks’ Quinn Hughes skated with ease around two-thirds of the Blueshirts’ fourth unit — caught in a change — before dishing to Conor Garland, who wristed one past Shesterkin.
“That wasn’t quite like the other night,” head coach Gerard Gallant quipped. “It’s two points and we played well enough to win the two points, but that was about it. It was a tough game.”
