The return to Winnipeg for both Trouba and Lemieux. Both players had great starts to their respective careers while in that organization. Elsewhere, the team played incredibly well in front of Shesterkin and Lundqvist both. Chris Kreider leading the way with some timely goals helped too (Trade value going WAY up). But enough of this, let’s get to the thoughts on this game.

  • The NHL and it’s entire community need to stop putting Bobby Hull on my television. The guy is a trash human being in every sense of the word.
  • The Winnipeg Jets should consider making these Navy and Red jerseys their full time home jerseys, they look great. It has been a good year for throwback jersey designs and the Adidas style jerseys.
  • For more relevant matters, the Rangers played extremely well at the start of the game all things considered against this pretty stacked Winnipeg team. I thought going into this one that they would struggle mightily against their forward corp, but the defense and the forwards both played guys like Connor, Laine, Scheiffle, and Wheeler extremely well.
  • Igor Shesterkin had a nasty scare tonight however as DeAngelo carelessly pushed Andrew Copp into his head and had him sent to concussion protocol. This forced Lundqvist to come in for relief for the last 6 minutes in the first. Lundqvist had to make only one save, but a hard one at that with a heavy shot.
  • In the final minute, Buchnevich threw the puck up ice to a streaking Kreider who then beat Hellebuyck with a great fake forehand, backhand, tuck behind the skate move.
  • In the 2nd, with Shesterkin back in net after coming out of concussion protocol, Kreider wouldn’t stop there as he was the recipient of GREAT puck luck created by a Strome shot pass off Hellebuyck’s pads right to his stick and to the back of the net. While not all puck luck isn’t created equal, Kreider may very well finally score 30 goals in his career. I still think had he not gotten injured last year, he would have easily gotten there.
  • I am amazed at Shesterkin’s ability to give up little to no rebounds on his shots against. He is going to not just be a good goalie in this league, but a REALLY good goalie in this league. Dare I say…an elite goaltender?
  • Panarin having 74 points in his first year as a New York Ranger is indescribable. He has been worth the contract and more. The playoff’s will be a farfetched outcome for the team this year, but the Rangers may very well be there next season and it is going to be exciting what he does then for this team.
  • The Jets pushed hard in the third with a power play goal and plenty of chances, but Shesterkin’s goaltending was the difference.
  • Kakko is growing more and more confident each game and it is showing in his game. He didn’t end up on the scoresheet tonight, but he had a great chance by bringing the puck on his stick from behind the net and taking to the puck to the slot for a shot. I don’t think pre-All Star break Kakko would have done that. I cannot wait to see what his potential becomes. He has all of the tools to be a fantastic Ranger.
  • Getting ahead of my self here, but the Rangers all time leading goal scorer is Rod Gilbert with 406…I wonder if a guy like Kakko could become a lifelong Ranger and break that record?
  • Great road win for the team, and good for Shesterkin. What a start to his career.

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