Rangers hang with Jets, but fall in third

The Rangers opened the contest in Winnipeg last night with a dreadful first period, which left most of us wondering if we were in for another Toronto game. The Jets took a 2-0 lead into the second period, when the Rangers recovered and tilted the ice back in their favor, tying the game with goals in the first and last minutes.

The third period was back and forth, with the Jets being a little too much for the Rangers. As for the deadline watch, Zucc had another multi-point night with two assists, and Kreider added an assist as well. As per usual, Zibanejad had a pair of goals. Buchnevich got back on the board with a very nice looking powerplay goal as well.

Jets 1, Rangers 0

This isn’t the best look for Henrik Lundqvist. He should have had this.

Jets 2, Rangers 0

Schiefele took a wicked shot on this goal, and made a nice move with the toe drag to get the better angle. Credit to Blake Wheeler for setting the pic on Brendan Smith to give Schiefele more room to tee it up.

Jets 2, Rangers 1

Connor Hellebuyck probably wants this one back, but great effort by Mats Zuccarello and Chris Kreider on this one. Mika Zibanejad with yet another goal.

Rangers 2, Jets 2

This was a great deflection by Pavel Buchnevich and a great feed by Ryan Strome. Just a great play on the powerplay. Buch found the seam in the coverage and Strome hit him perfectly.

Rangers 3, Jets 2

Zibanejad is so good he gets two Jets defenders in on the action. Two lucky bounces and the Rangers have the lead.

Jets 3, Rangers 3

This is good puck movement by the Jets with a good net front presence. Then Joe Morrow took the one-timer and blew it by Hank as he was trying to get set from the movement and the bumps a little bit before.

Jets 4, Rangers 3

Andrew Copp snuck in as the third man on that very fast rush by the Jets, and the pass by Mason Appleton just got by everyone. This was a play made by fourth line speed.

Shot Heatmap

The Rangers had a really bad first period, worse than the three periods against the Leafs. But they had a polar opposite second period before the game went back and forth in the third. Worth noting that the Jets ran their offense from the high slot mostly.

The Rangers get two days off to travel back from their one-shot out west. I’m honestly surprised that Jeff Gorton hasn’t made one major trade yet. This truly is the calm before the storm.