What a long two weeks it's been. Perhaps the best and worst week for the Rangers to kick off a West Coast road trip would be the same week I would be out of commission for a couple days, in the hospital recovering from back surgery. As I join Sammy Blais on the LTIR, recovery is going well and just as thankfully, the Rangers are returning home, meaning no more after 10pm puck drops. That being said, didn't get to see much of the action live, but the Rangers split their road stand with a pair of wins and losses, amid several players being placed in and out of COVID protocol.
1/6/22 Rangers Fall to Vegas 5-1
The Blueshirts began their road trip with a homecoming for Ryan Reaves and Gerard Gallant in Las Vegas. As the team prepared for their second meeting of the season with the Golden Knights, the on going challenge of avoiding COVID would hit as Igor Shesterkin would be placed in protocol just before game time, joining Artemi Panarin. Keith Kinkaid would move from the Taxi Squad to Varsity to back up Alexander Georgiev as Ryan Reaves and his line-mates got the start in his old hometown in front of the welcoming fans.
Despite a late Jonathan Marchessault power play goal, the Rangers played a pretty solid first period, holding Vegas to 11 shots, registering nine of their own. Chris Kreider answered 52 seconds into the second to tie the game up at one but regretfully, there wouldn't be much momentum to follow. The game slowly got away from the Rangers and by the end of the second it was 3-1 Vegas thanks to goals from Mark Stone and Mattias Janmark. Only thing missing from this one? Brett Howden! Any chance of momentum being brewed in the Rangers favor was put to rest when the former cardio king scored his fourth of the season, second against the Rangers this season.
Jonathan Marchessault closed this one out with his second of the night to finalize this disappointing outing at 5-1. One of those games you want to burn the tape and just try again the next day. Georgiev closed the night out with 35 saves, hard to blame him for any of those goals when the Rangers didn't do much with their 20 shots on goal to generate offense. Unfortunately for the Rangers, Shesterkin would just be the beginning of their problems with COVID as they would head into California with even less of their everyday guys and more roster moves.
Unlikely Heroes Strike Gold in California
Next up on the schedule would be the Ducks of Anaheim, and the Rangers would be without the services of Ryan Reaves, Julien Gauthier and Dryden Hunt for this one. The Vegas game would end up being the only game of the trip for these three as Dryden Hunt was put on IR with an injury suffered in the game and Gauthier and Reaves were put in COVID protocol. With three forwards out, the Rangers would activate Morgan Barron, Jonny Brodzinski and Tim Gettinger, who ended up a pretty solid line for the Rangers throughout the remainder of the trip, playing a big part in the win in Anaheim.
The game wouldn't get off to a start in the Rangers favor thanks to an Isaac Lundestrom shot off a Troy Terry feed. It wouldn't be too long before the Blueshirts found their way back when Mika Zibanejad got on the board with his twelve of the season to tie it up. After a scoreless second, it would be the least likely of Rangers players to finish out the scoring in this 4-1 win. All three goals coming from defensemen, the first being Jarred Tinordi's first as a New York Ranger. Honestly, not a bad one either, nice little knee down slap shot that took a redirect in front to find the back of the net.
Halfway through the third, Ryan Lindgren would walk in from the point to led a shot go to give the team an insurance goal for his third of the season. You love to see Lindy getting rewarded for his efforts that too often go unnoticed as he has become one of this teams strongest assets. He would be rewarded again with his first two goal night of his career, probably his first since he was just a kid from Shattuck St. Mary's in Minnesota. Overall, The Rangers played a solid, complete game, kept Anaheim to just 14 shots on goal and picked up a much needed win after a poor effort in Vegas.
Rangers Run into a Hot Team with a Hot Goalie, Lose 3-1
Another day on the road, another Ranger to COVID protocol, this time it would be Barclay Goodrow's name to the tally. Not only would the team be without another player, but Head Coach Gerard Gallant would also find himself on the COVID list, bringing Wolf Pack Coach Kris Knoblauch back in the mix. The Kings had been riding hot as of late and Cal Peterson was coming off a shutout win just two nights before. While Mika Zibanejad would sneak one passed him on a tip-in halfway through the third, Peterson's stellar play continued, stopping all 23 shots throughout the night.
Philip Danault and Blake Lizotte both put backhanders behind Georgiev in the second to build up LA's lead and Adrien Kempe would close it out with an empty netter from the other end of the ice. Definitely a better performance than the Vegas game but not much you can really do. Georgiev had one shy of 40 saves in what would be just one of those games. The Rangers would sit with this one for two days before their final stop in California against the San Jose Sharks.
Shesty Shutout, Schneider Scores, Kreider All Star
All things considered, going 2-2 on the road is not bad at all and the Rangers certainly saved all the excitement for the end of it, just in time to come home. Alas, the team continues to battle with COVID as Alexis Lafreniere would be listed as unavailable for this contest. Next man up mentality would give Anthony Greco a dream come true opportunity to play for his childhood team, becoming the first Queens born player to skate for the Blueshirts. An extra special night for the son of late FDNY fighter Paul Greco who lost his life due to 9/11 related illnesses.
Tonight would also be special for the Schneider family as 2020 first round draft pick Braden Schneider would make his NHL debut. The young defender has a promising future and impressed many in Hartford, earning his chance at the line up last night in San Jose. With two new faces in the mix and Shesterkin back in goal, the puck dropped and away we went. Just prior to game time, the NHL announced its All Star Team Rosters which included Adam Fox and Chris Kreider. Kreider must have been excited by the news as he kicked off the night with a shorthanded goal to give the Rangers an early lead.
Igor Shesterkin didn't skip a beat in his return, stopping every chance the Sharks through his way. After a scoreless second, the sparks would fly early in the third when rookie Braden Schneider crept in from the point and let a wrist shot destined for the back of the net go for his first NHL goal in his first NHL game. A special moment for the Ranger and his family who were lucky enough to be in attendance, their first time seeing Braden play in about two years. On top of the goal, Schneider had several other shots on goal and delivered five hits. Safe to say, he's earned his keep and will get an extended look with the Rangers, especially now with Zac Jones being reassigned to Hartford.
Chris Kreider would close the night with an empty netter for his twenty third of the season, remaining on a remarkable pace for what were all hoping is finally that year for him. Shesterkin stayed perfect, stopping all 37 San Jose shots, including 17 that came in the final period. While the road trip wasn't by any means perfect, you have to be happy with the teams results given the circumstances. Despite all the roster moves, COVID issues and everything that comes with traveling, the team broke even, collecting four of eight possible points.
The Rangers are back at it on the East Coast Saturday Night against their rivals, the Philadelphia Flyers. The hope will certainly be that the Rangers get their Head Coach back as well as the return of guys like Reaves, Gauthier, and Goodrow as they prepare for a stretch of going back and forth between games on the road and games at the Garden. With only nine games remaining before what would have been the Olympic break, the Rangers will need to continue building off their success this season and keep it known that they are the team to beat in the Metro.
Chris Feldman
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