Zibanejad wins it for the Rangers in overtime

AP Photo/Bill Kostroun

For the third straight game, the Rangers faced a goalie on the top of his game. Carey Price stole a shootout win on Tuesday. Frederik Andersen couldn’t do the same on Thursday. This time it was Cory Schneider’s turn to try to steal one for the Devils. But Mika Zibanejad ensured he would not.

Antti Raanta was strong for the most part, but allowed two questionable goals before Andy Greene’s rocket from the point on the power play gave the Devils the lead. But Adam Clendening sent the game to overtime with less than five minutes to go.

It was then Raanta who prevented Kyle Palmieri from getting a hat trick in over time, followed immediately by a tremendous outlet pass from Brady Skjei to Zibanejad, who ended it. This was the third straight overtime game for the Rangers.

• The Rangers didn’t play that well to start the game. There’s really no reason why the Devils should have owned them as they did. The Blueshirts didn’t get a shot on goal until about six minutes in. But the puck didn’t go in their net, so no harm, no foul. Of course, a lot of that was due to Antti Raanta’s strong play.
• Dan Girardi, for all his faults, still has a solid slap shot. Chris Kreider got credit for the goal off the odd bounce/deflection.
• Jesper Fast and Oscar Lindberg have some solid chemistry. The pass from Fast to Lindberg for the Rangers’ second goal was a thing of beauty. Side note: Swedes are good at hockey.
• Here’s the gif of that goal:

https://twitter.com/aj_ranger/status/835620798723424257

• One thing about this Rangers team that I noticed: Most of the skaters are very good on the puck. Tough to move off when they have possession.
• I will never understand why the Rangers use Derek Stepan and Mika Zibanejad on the same power play when the second unit has five lefties.
• On Adam Henrique’s goal – Raanta probably wants that one back. His pad was elevated a bit and Henrique slid it under his right leg/five hold on the wrap around.
• Raanta also wants that first Kyle Palmieri goal back too. Needs to stop that. That said, Girardi needs to get out of the way on shots like that.
• Palmieri’s second goal was unstoppable. Andy Greene’s shot was was just a rip with Girardi and Miles Wood in front that he tipped. Girardi needed to do a better job of boxing out Wood, but it likely wouldn’t have mattered.
• On Adam Clendening’s goal, good job by Mika ZIbanejad and Chris Kreider to control the puck. Clendo crept in to the top of the circle and put himself in a position to shoot.
• Raanta made two phenomenal saves on Palmieri in OT to keep it tied, and immediately after Brady Skjei made a great pass to Mika Zibanejad, who ended it. What a sequence that was.

This was the third straight overtime game for the Rangers, and they’ve come away with five of six points. That’s pretty solid. They are back at it tomorrow afternoon, so hopefully this much extra hockey won’t catch up to them.