The Rangers defeated the Devils 3-1 Thursday to improve to 2-0 on the season. Two goals by Brandon Pirri and one by John Gilmour coupled with solid goaltending by Antti Raanta and especially MacKenzie Skapski carried New York to the victory. The Rangers play New Jersey at the Rock on Saturday.
A few thoughts:
1)
The Brandon Pirri Question
Justin Tasch summarized the general conversation regarding Pirri that really commenced in earnest following the first pre-season game:
The problem for Pirri, an offensive player who has shown he can be a power-play asset with four power-play points this preseason, is Vigneault sees Pirri as someone who would have to crack the top nine to be an everyday player, according to what the coach said Thursday. Vigneault wants three lines that can score and a defensive-oriented fourth line with players who can kill penalties. If Pirri isn’t a fit on the fourth line, as Vigneault says, he may have to beat out 21-year-old Russian rookie Pavel Buchnevich, who had an assist Thursday, for a top-nine spot.
There’s also a decision to be made regarding the spare, 13th forward spot, which could go to a player with Pirri’s skill-set or to more of a defensively responsible player.
My view on this is several. First, the adage of things having a way of working themselves out became an adage because there is truth associated with it. It's two games, four more are left. We still need to see if Pirri continues this level of play, if others counted in for spots earn them, if an injury occurs and/or all of the above transpire. If that proves to be the case, the problem resolves itself.
If not, then second, it's also possible the traditional line deployment used by coach Alain Vigneault could change. While he historically has been wedded to three offensive lines and a fourth, defensively-oriented one, that is not set in stone. Maybe he does use Pirri with Grabner and Fast, replacing Pirri for key own zone draws late as a way to get him in the lineup. It's also possible Pirri moves up during the game and/or is used as power-play type specialist as a way to get him in the lineup.
My point here is before we all get bent out of shape or prospectively start tasking AV to task for something he hasn't even done, let's wait for the situation to play out a bit. If Pirri keeps playing as he has and isn't given a spot he deserves, then start railing. But until then, don't overreact.
2)
The power play:
Beyond the goals, what's been impressive has been the player and puck movement. Combine that with bodies in front creating strong screens and players winning to shoot the puck on net and you have a successful combination. That latter part has been a huge key.
Gilmour’s shot went through the Jimmy Vesey and Rick Nash screens. Pirri’s second was helped by Nicklas Jensen causing trouble in front. Maybe this is a change from how the PP was run in prior years or it could just be due to some changes in personnel. But the early results are positive, now they need to carry it forward the next four games and into the season.
3)
The blue line
Dylan McIlrath improved over game one. He had a bit of a slow start but displayed some of the gains made last year, seen in his ability to push and keep skaters without getting beat. If McI can continue to do that and be a physical presence, as we saw again last night, he should be able to carve out a decent sized role.
Interesting column by Larry Brooks on Nick Holden:
Holden is the mobile, late-blooming 29-year-old the Rangers acquired in June from Colorado for the absurdly bargain price of a fourth-round draft pick. The three-year veteran was partnered with offense-minded righty Tyson Barrie nearly all of last year on the Avalanche’s 1A/1B pair after spending the previous year on the right while paired with Brad Stuart in Colorado’s second tandem
The Rangers line up on the left with Ryan McDonagh, Marc Staal, Holden and Skjei. Natural righties include Dan Girardi, Kevin Klein, Dylan McIlrath and Adam Clendening.
“I feel I can play either side and adapt to whomever I’m with,” said Holden, who told The Post that he was “very, very surprised” and “caught off guard” by the trade from the Avalanche. “My first priority is always to be responsible defensively first, even if I’m looked to for a more offensive role.”
If Holden — who played the left paired with Klein against New Jersey — moves to the right, he could either be the more defense-oriented first-pair partner with McDonagh or the more offense-oriented second-pair partner with Staal. This presumes Skjei — the 22-year-old who impressed in seven regular season and five playoff games during his first pro season — earns a spot on the roster.
If Holden can adapt to that side change, it strengthens the blue line but makes AV's decisions harder. McDonagh, Staal, Girardi and Klein are locks, some due to ability and a few due to contract status along with hopes of a rebound. If Holden seamlessly makes that change, he basically becomes as given. Then what? Do you send Skjei down? That would be a painful move but he has options remaining while McI doesn't. So sending him down might prevent the Rangers from losing McI as he won't pass through waivers to get demoted. Does McI and Skjei both make the roster with one the sixth and one the seventh d-man? That seems more likely, which means Adam Clendening heads to Hartford. Of course, if the Trouba interest is real, and that would depend on who has to go back, all of this ends up in even more a state of flux.
4)
Goaltending
Antti Raanta allowed one goal on 16 shots in 33:00 before Mackenzie Skapski stopped all 13 shots he faced in 27:00, though he wasn't challenged as much as Tuesday. It's nice to have solid depth between the pipes, especially since Raanta will be exposed in the expansion draft and an inexpensive back up will be needed, which might be Skapski.
5)
Other
Carp noted that Maxim Lapierre was a bit of a rat. He hit the pipe short-handed at the end of the first. Lapierre is in a PTO, so has no guaranteed deal and his numbers plus history rightly don't draw much respect. But if he can kill penalties, you never know, but it's a huge long shot that he earns a roster spot.
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