Rangers Recap: Duck Hunt!

It took overtime, but the Rangers played a fantastic game against the Ducks. This was a complete game effort and especially turned it on in the third period. Now it is a Ducks team that is selling assets and getting ready to further progress in their rebuild, but make no mistake, there is still talent in their lineup.

These are also the games where you appreciate having super stars. Artemiy Panarin and Adam Fox took over the game, each getting 3 points tonight including a Fox OT winner assisted by Panarin. Sometimes a hockey game is as simple as your star players come and put on a show for the crowd. Tonight was most definitely that night.

Alex Georgiev played a fair game, with 3 goals against on 23 shots. Technically it is still a below average save percentage, but the team in front of him definitely showed better poise for all but one goal against. There weren’t any glaring issues with his game, and he made some big saves to boot. The Rangers need to find ways to win with Georgiev in net with his confidence as low as it has been this season.

Georgiev will be a very interesting player to watch next season if he’s a starter and what he can do with consistent playing time. Will he be average? Will he be a top goalie? It will be very intriguing. An observation though: he cannot stop guys on breakaways. In this game, a bad read by Nemeth and Schneider put Derek Grant on a breakaway to put the Ducks ahead early on in the third. Naturally, the goal was a breakaway.

That would actually be the last we saw of Schneider in the game as Grant got behind him and Gallant was visibly furious with Schneider as they immediately panned to him dropping an expletive. Schneider will be back, he has played very well in his 22 games as a Ranger–even had an assist on the first goal. It’s the nature of developing these young players while also playing them in meaningful hockey games as you are all but punched in for the playoffs.

Rangers 1, Ducks 0

This was a great pass across his body by Filip Chytil, who sprung Jonny Brodzinski with room. The Ducks were too busy following Chytil’s body and not the play. Jonny Bravo beat John Gibson blocker side, who was off his angle.

Ducks 1, Rangers 1

Not much you can do on this one. Off Miller, off Georgiev, off Comtois, and in. It’s like that old school Larry Bird / Michael Jordan McDonald’s commercial. K’Andre Miller was on top of Georgiev on this one, but that doesn’t control the bounce.

Rangers 2, Ducks 1

On the delayed penalty, Adam Fox was able to thread a pass to Mika Zibanejad way down low, who flubbed a one-timer past John Gibson. It looked like Gibson either didn’t see the pass, or thought Zibanejad wouldn’t get it on net from that angle.

Rangers 2, Ducks 2

While this isn’t an ideal goal for Georgiev to give up, there’s a lot going on here. First the clear face off loss, then Cam Fowler walking the blue line and shooting back against his body. Max Comtois was in front providing the screen, and when you watch the replay, Georgiev couldn’t track the puck once Fowler shot it. Georgiev was looking over Comtois’ blocker side shoulder before the shot, then dropped to butterfly and hoped.

Ducks 3, Rangers 2

Patrik Nemeth had his shot blocked, got caught with Brozinski going for the loose puck, and that helped spring Derek Grant, who got behind Braden Schneider, for the breakaway. Nemeth should have a better shot selection, and then Brodzinski has to ensure he gets that loose puck.

There are a few things here – first pointed out by Conall, as Brodzinski did make a bad read instead of backing up after the Nemeth shot. In the BSB chat, Conall said that as F3, he needs to read the play better and play more of a defensive support role. Second, Braden Schneider didn’t play the break properly and took an awful angle.

Rangers 3, Ducks 3

Chris Kreider is the best net front presence in the NHL. First he deflected the shot just wide, then he got his own rebound into the empty net.

Rangers 4, Ducks 3

It’s tough to say anything is a breakdown in 3v3 hockey, so let’s call this a good passing play, with Fowler backing up a little too much, which gave Fox space to cut and shoot.

Shot Heatmap

This game was relatively slow paced, with neither team really generating much quality or quantity. That is why there isn’t much color in either shot heatmap. Just a stale game with a few highlights.

Game Flow

The Dallas game was a track meet. This was not. The teams didn’t even average 15 shot attempts each per period. That’s a slow game. The goaltending for the Rangers was pretty solid, if a tad unlucky, whereas Gibson had a couple of head scratchers. The Rangers did turn it on in the third, which makes you think they should be able to do that more often. It’s like when they decide to play, they can. But they have to decide to.

As stated above, it was quite the night for Artemi Panarin and Adam Fox. We’ll start with Panarin, who at times sometimes has looked off while still producing at well over a point per game. His ability to pass the puck and win puck battles is god-like. I truly have no idea how he sees the ice the way he does, he can hit a guy in perfect stride from the bench through multiple sticks, and set up a high danger scoring chance for Ryan Strome.

Strome, unfortunately, Ryan Strome’d and missed another empty net tonight, you can’t make this stuff up if you tried. Now who did score on his chance was Adam Fox in OT who was able to get on a two on one with Panarin, and snap home the game winner. I am beyond curious how these top players are going to play come playoff time. The playoffs can be such a shootout as well as a grind, will the Rangers be able to overcome either style, if they load up, it’s certainly possible.