The Rangers won a game. And they deserved to win the game. It’s so nice to see wins every now and then, even if we do want the best odds possible at a top pick. The young guns played extremely well as Jonathan Quick rebounded after a rough 5 games. The icing on the cake was Matthew Robertson’s game winner, showcasing a new trick as he drove the net in overtime and slid the puck between Joonas Korpisalo’s legs for the win. There won’t be many more wins this season, so for it to happen and the young guys be a reason why is only good for the Rangers.
Gabe Perreault picked up a fantastic assist that reminded myself and a few other BSB writers of our once favorite Norwegian hobbit, Mats Zuccarello. We know Perreault has this ceiling, so seeing him make these plays in the NHL on a top line has me hopeful for this kid’s future in New York. The same could be said for the line of Noah Laba, Will Cuylle, and Brennan Othmann who played well last night, hemming Boston in the defensive zone. This trio showed us a glimpse of what Mike Sullivan likes to see out of his lines.
Back to Perreault, it looks like he’s finally sticking in the top six. The instant chemistry with Mika Zibanejad and JT Miller is a big reason for both veteran’s scoring streaks lately. Perreault may not always get points, but it’s the little things he does that creates open ice for scoring chances. As he continues to grow and hopefully get more ice time, it should only get better. He doesn’t look out of place anymore, which should help with his confidence level as he looks to take that next step as well.
The same can be said for Noah Laba, who has had his ups and downs this season, but he’s been steadily improving throughout the season. His underlying numbers aren’t great, but the Rangers are hot garbage and he’s had a rotating cavalry of linemates, most without much offensive ability. Individually, Laba has a really sneaky good playmaking style and causes chaos when he needs to in the dirty areas. He’s lacking points, but it’s clear there’s something there with Laba, who looks poised for a big breakout soon.
Matthew Robertson is the most interesting defenseman on the roster. Mostly doing little things that don’t make it to the score sheet or even the announcer’s mouths, he disrupts transitions against and has just been overall steady. He’s inconsistent still, perhaps a product of the Rangers being a mess, but he’s at least earned more ice time as the veterans continue to leave us unimpressed. Robertson was drafted because he’s shown he can make moves like he did on the winner last night, but he hasn’t shown it until last night. What a goal and what a way to end the three game skid.
More About: Game Wrap-ups