Miller Magic at MSG. K'Andre's late goal ties game, Fox nets OT game-winner (miller)

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Miller Magic at MSG. K'Andre's late goal ties game, Fox nets OT game-winner

By Jan Levine

Jan 13, 2023 • 1:02 am

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Miller Miracle at MSG. That's the only way to describe Thursday's win. K'Andre Miller scored with 0.7 seconds left in the game to tie the contest at one, Then, Adam Fox scored 1:16 into the overtime to give New York a highly unlikely win.

Game recap:

A few thoughts: 1) Miller, on the ice for the 6-on-5 at the end of the game with Chris Kreider sidelined, was able to get his own rebound past Jake Oettinger with less than a second remaining in the contest. The marker extended Miller's point streak to five games (seven points; three goals, four assists). Miller has goals in back-to-back games and 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) in 17 games since Dec. 5; he had eight points, all assists, in his first 26 games. I have said a lot lately that the price tag of his contract goes up daily, that certainly is the case after this victory. Your window for signing him at possibly a reasonable deal is now gone.

Arthur Staple did a great job of describing the game-tying goal. We always talk about playing to the whistle. New York did that and more with the goal coming at 19:59.3 of the third period.

Miller made a sturdy keep-in as the clock went inside of 15 seconds, which is when the real mayhem began. Artemi Panarin sent the puck into a mass of sticks in the slot, Fox tried to make a play but was losing his stick in a tug-of-war to Ryan Suter — “I was going to yell to the ref, but what can you do,… Fox said — and Vincent Trocheck bumped the puck back for a slap-shot attempt from Miller.

Luke Glendening blocked it and the puck could have gone off a dozen different ways with barely a couple seconds to go. It came right back to Miller, who snapped one through Miro Heiskanen’s legs, through Jake Oettinger’s pads and in just before the green light came on signaling game.

Miller is well-aware of how the kind of season he has will impact what he can command as an RFA. Comments like below in an interview with Vince Mercogliano indicate that he expects to be paid if he has the kind of season he hopes. Recently, that most certainly has been the case.

"Everyone knows what this year means for me and my career and my family – everyone I’ve been through this journey with," he said following Wednesday's practice at the MSG Training Center in Tarrytown. "It’s something you've been working for your whole life, and for it to be so close, it’s just that last push before (restricted free agency). That's been in the back of my mind – way back of my mind – but I don't think it's been anything that I've been caught up on or hung up on."

2) Fox's game winner: Miller spoke about the emotion of the crowd pushing the Rangers forward. On the flip side, the Stars had to be demoralized seeing their regulation win evaporate in that manner.

The game-winner began with a great defensive play with Mika Zibanejad. On the scramble in front, Zib stole the puck, creating all the havoc, then Panarin found Fox, who went forehand to backhand to beat Oettinger.

3) Dallas's goal, which came on their only power play, resulted from a bad line change. Vince Mercogliano described it as such: Barclay Goodrow signaled for Zibanejad to replace him, then suddenly changed his mind as he reached for a puck that zoomed by him. Zibanejad quickly retreated, but Goodrow headed toward the bench again and called him back on the ice. Meanwhile, Dallas continued to advance with only three Rangers playing defense.

The puck came to Mason Marchment, who shanked the shot, but the puck slid to a wide open Tyler Seguin in the slot. That is where Goodrow should/would have been, but Zibanejad was far behind the play and had a perfect view of the shot, beating Igor Shesterkin short side. (Ignore the comment on the tweet as the view on Goodrow by many is well known)

On the flip side, New York went 0-for-4 on the man advantage. With Kreidfer out, Alexis Lafreniere, who played a season-high 21:21, took his spot on the first power play unit as well as at even strength. Laf didn't do a bad job as the net front presence, but the predictable power play was just that, predictable. Not enough player or puck movement made it easier for the fourth rated penalty kill to thwart all four attempts by the Rangers.

4) Other: The Rangers played the final two periods without Julien Gauthier, who collided with teammate Sammy Blais towards the end of the first period and did not return with an upper-body injury. Coach Gerard Gallant said Gauthier, who left the prior game with an injury as well, would be re-evaluated over the weekend.

The Rangers committed 23 turnovers − 18 of which were considered giveaways − which ended many of their possessions prematurely. Most of those turnovers came on New York's attempt at East-West passes that were picked off by the Stars. The main culprits were Panarin, who had a rough game until the overtime, and Lafrenière, who were charged with three giveaways apiece.

Defensively, New York was pretty stout. The Rangers held the Stars to zero high-danger scoring chances in the first period, according to Natural Stat Trick, and only 10 shots on goal in the opening 34 minutes. For the game, they limited Dallas to 25 shots, though that doesn't include the post Miro Heiskanen hit in the second period.

Post-game, Gallant said a bug was running through the locker room and many of the Rangers were tired. The Rangers do get an extra day for it, as they don't play until Sunday at home against Montreal, But they are also in action Monday on the road versus Columbus. With Gauthier questionable. look for Jake Leschyshyn to be in the lineup. If Blais is banged up, maybe Ryan Carpenter gets nod, unless Kreider makes a miraculous recovery and is ready to go.

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