Rangers Recap: The Georgiev Revenge Tour

We’ll keep this one rather short tonight, because only the Rangers could manage to lose to David Quinn and to Alexandar Georgiev in the shootout within a week of each other. On the bright side, at least the Quinn and Georgiev Revenge Tours are done early in the season, each with the Rangers getting a point. Though they lost in the shootout last night, there were some of positives to take from the Georgiev revenge game.

You could tell the Rangers were really missing Filip Chytil, especially early in the game. Not having that bonafide 3rd line center did seem to break up the flow that line had. Hopefully the injury is truly only sidelining him for the week. Plenty of cases in the league with the head injuries that they can get scary, and can really put guys behind the 8-ball. That line would later on score on a great passing sequence by Sammy Blais, Jacob Trouba, and Barclay Goodrow. But it wasn’t the same offense cohesion we saw in games prior.

Another positive: The Rangers went toe-to-toe with the defending cup champs–who are very likely and favored to repeat–and it took them going to a shootout to win. Not a bad bit of business if you’re the Rangers. Obviously, this league is results driven and you want to have fewer “moral victories”, but this was a moral victory.

One tiny mistake by Igor handling the puck on a power play cost the Rangers a goal and arguably the Georgiev revenge game. Even with that mistake, Shesterkin was brilliant. Two goals against on 44 shots. And though it pains me to say it, Georgiev showed up in his revenge game too stopping 44 of 46 shots from the Rangers. The Rangers outshot the champs, scratched and clawed for a point, and lost in a coin-flip skills competition. Not bad! Can we do this in June?

Avs 1, Rangers 0

This game started as a track meet, and the Avs took full advantage with their first powerplay. The penalty killers were just gassed, couldn’t pressure the Avs, and Valeri Nichushkin was in front to screen Igor Shesterkin and deflect the point shot by him. This isn’t a breakdown in play, and sometimes you just get gassed and beat.

Rangers 1, Avs 1

The Rangers caught the Avs after a shot wide trapped a tired line behind an odd man rush. This is a line that you don’t expect to make a passing play like that, but wow.

Avs 2, Rangers 1

This is wholly on Shesterkin. He’s mostly good with the puck, but this is a mistake, and a costly one.

Rangers 2, Avs 2

Adam Fox forced the turnover in the defensive zone, and started the rush up the ice. Note what Vitali Kravtsov did on the rush, crashing the net and taking a pair of defenders with him. That opened the passing lane across to Jimmy Vesey and back to Fox for the tap in. The Rangers had some pretty passing plays for goals in this game. This goal ensured the Rangers got a point in the Georgiev Revenge Tour.

Last thought on the night and it will be our only negative talking point on the night, I really don’t understand what the plan is for both Kaapo Kakko and Alexis Lafrenière. It’s obvious they are both not only looking the part of top six forwards, but playing like them, they belong. So if that’s the case, why does Gallant refuse to give either of them looks in the 3 on 3 overtime period?

All of that ice and their skill sets, I just don’t understand why Gallant is forcing minutes to guys like Chris Kreider–who may I add looks very much lost on the ice so far this season–when he’s not playing a good game. Kreider played so poorly in the offensive zone, I was waiting for Gallant to bench him quite honestly. I was never expecting him to repeat another 50 goal year, but can he at least crack 30 again?

Turn the page, go to the Island, and right the ship!