Rangers Recap: Something’s Bruin in New York

The Rangers are fun, aren’t they? They could have mailed this game in after a two week break and a flat first period, but then they got their legs back and shook off that rust. They took it to the Bruins in the final 45 minutes, including that 40 second stretch where the NHL hit the Screw The Rangers Button in OT.

Igor Shesterkin and Jeremy Swayman put on a show for both teams, especially in the shootout. Swayman is the real deal, and as much as we like to say the Rangers went from Lundqvist to Shesterkin, the Bruins went from Rask to Swayman, and that looks to be dangerous as well.

Something worth noting: This is the second very strong game in a row for the Rangers, both against playoff bound teams. You can explain this one away because the Bruins were without Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand, but it’s on the heels of that strong win against Florida.

Bruins 1, Rangers 0

Bad giveaway by Barclay Goodrow here, springing the Bruins on an add man rush. Adam Fox was put in a bad spot, and Craig Smith had his initial one timer stopped, but no one was able to get Charlie Coyle crashing for the rebound.

Rangers 1, Bruins 1

This is a good curl back by Dryden Hunt at the blue line to wait for Filip Chytil to gain speed through the neutral zone. This was almost offside too. Chytil got a quick shot off that Swayman stopped, but Chytil beat the defender and got his own rebound to tie it.

Shot Heatmap

This was a very strong game for the Rangers after the first period. And you almost need to give them a pass for the first period after two weeks off. Boston was shorthanded (no Bergeron or Marchand), but this is still a good performance to follow up that Florida game. Sometimes, you just need the confidence. Let’s hope this keeps up.

Game Flow

This is exactly what you saw on the ice. The Rangers were flat in the first, as was expected. They then took it to the Bruins, and really controlled the rest of the game. This was, as Gerard Gallant likes to say, a real good hockey game.

This is easily the best two-game stretch for the Rangers, albeit over two weeks. The Florida game was their best of the season, and this was their second best. The Bruins are flawed, but they are still a playoff team and they are still the Bruins. This is a fun Rangers team. If they make the right moves at the deadline, and that’s still an unknown, watch out.