The Rangers closed out 2016 in fine fashion, notching a 6-2 win over the Avalanche on Saturday night. After finishing the first period tied at 2, New York scored twice in the second and third periods. With the win, the Rangers are now 26-12-1 heading into 2017.
The game didn't start particularly. A lost faceoff resulted in a clean Tyson Barrie shot from the point, which deflected off Cody McLeod between Henrik Lundqvist's legs. New York failed to clear the front of the net and Lundqvist never saw the shot or deflection due to all the bodies in front.
New York got the equalizer just over four minutes later. A great play by Mats Zuccarello kept the puck in the offensive zone. His pass to the open boards was corralled Derek Stepan, who peaked to see an open Chris Kreider on the other side of the ice before reaching the puck. Stepan and Kreider each had the same read, which resulted in the goal when Stepan's pass deflected off Kreider's body and past Calvin Pickard to even the game at one.
The Rangers grabbed the lead on the power play. Good puck movement led to an open shot for Zuccarello. His shot hit off Kreider and barely trickled behind Pickard into the net. The goal was not initially called, which resulted in Ryan McDonagh whistling the puck into the top of the net. But a quick review showed it was Kreider's goal for his second of the game.
That lead didn't last long. Nick Holden was outworked behind the net, coughing up the puck. Marc Staal was beaten to the puck by Rene Bourque, who fed Francois Beauchemin at the point. His shot was deflected into the net by the Blake Comeau, the Lundqvist killer, who notched his 13th of his career against Hank and a tie game.
New York didn't have a great first period but you had the sense that the offense was just waking up. The second resulted in a pair of goals. J.T. Miller picked up an errant pass just out of the decisive zone and steamed down the left wing. His blast beat Pickard over his shoulder for his second in as many games. Miller has reacted well to his 'benching' the other night, using his body like he did earlier in the season.
Then it was Kreider time again, once again on the man advantage. Good puck movement from McDonagh to Brandon Pirri to Stepan created the chance from just inside the blue line. Stepan's shot hit off Kreider, who was once again in front of the net in the dirty area, past Pickard. The goal game Kreider the hat trick, his second of his career. The last time the Rangers had a hat trick in consecutive games before Puempel and Kreider the past two games was Dec. 23 and 27, 2014 (Nash, Stepan). Kreider now has 15 goals and 16 points (five goals, 11 assists) in his last 15 games, bolstered by eight points in his last four contests.
In the third, New York took full control of the game, scoring twice more. Prior to that, Dan Girardi saved a goal, sweeping a puck off the goal line to keep it 4-2. Then, the first NY goal of the period was by Miller for his second of the game. Jesper Fast chipped the puck past the defender deep into the Colorado zone. The Avalanche basically quit on the play, allowing Oscar Lindberg to come down the other side of the ice and beat everyone to the puck. Miller found tons of space in the slot, took Lindberg's pass and beat Pickard off the left post, short side for the goal. Miller now has has 12 goals on the year.
The second goal of the period and final one of the game came in another beautiful play. Kevin Hayes made the defensive play just outside the offensive blue line, picking off the pass. Michael Grabner put a beautiful space into space to Jimmy Vesey, who showed slick hands for the tally. Later in the frame, Henrik Lundqvist saved a goal with some help from the post and the Rangers were 6-2 winners. Two wins over two of the Pacific Division weakest teams but wins are wins.
Some stats from the Rangers' PR department:
- The Kreider-Stepan-Zuccarello line has tallied 22 points (nine goals, 13 assists) over the last four games. In addition, the three players registered 46 points - including 17 goals - in the Rangers' 15 games in December this season. Stepan and Zucc each have 21 assists on the season.
- Henrik Lundqvist notched win #390 of his career, moving him past Dominik Hasek for most victories by a European goalie.
- The Rangers’ 26 wins in 2016-17 are tied for the third-most wins the team has earned through the first 39 games of one season in franchise history.
- New York posted a 51-26-6 record in 83 regular season games during the 2016 calendar year.
- The Rangers lead the NHL in goals this season (135 – includes two team goals awarded for shootout wins). In addition, the Blueshirts lead the league in goal differential at plus-38 (135 for and 97 against)
- Nine Rangers have registered 20 or more points this season. Prior to 2016-17, the last season in which the Rangers had at least nine players who tallied 20 or more points through the first 39 games was 1993-94 (Messier, Leetch, Graves, Zubov, Tikkanen, Gartner, Nemchinov, Larmer, Kovalev, and Amonte).
- New York leads the NHL in road wins this season (13) and leads the NHL in road wins since the start of the 2013-14 season (85). The Blueshirts have earned a win in 12 of their last 16 road contests (12-4-0), including six of their last seven road games (6-1-0).
- All six of the Rangers’ goals in tonight’s game were scored by American-born players (Kreider – three; Miller – two; Vesey – one). (All in all a good for the US, who beat Canada 3-1 in the preliminary round of the World Cup on Saturday).