Rangers 3 Islanders 1, AMP line dazzles, Skjei solid as were netminders (rangers)

rangers

Rangers 3 Islanders 1, AMP line dazzles, Skjei solid as were netminders

By Jan Levine

Sep 24, 2019 • 8:22 pm

0comment-bubble

The Rangers notched their first win of the pre-season, defeating the Islanders 3-1 at MSG. Vitali Kravtsov tallied his first as a Ranger while Artmei Panarin had a pair of goals, the initial tally coming on a gorgeous exchange of passes with Pavel Buchnevich. Henrik Lundqvist and Alexandar Georgiev stopped 29 of 30 shots in helping New York get the win. The Blueshirts face the Flyers on Thursday.

Lines:

A few thoughts: 1) Lundqvist played 29:48 and saved all 13 shots he faced, while Georgiev played 30:12 and finished with 16 saves. Hank was solid, as seen in the flurry below, while Georgiev was just as good. Thursday should see Igor Shesterkin and Adam Huska between the pipes, after which, both could be sent to Hartford.

2) Kravtsov goal:

Quinn on Kravtsov: “He played pretty well,… Rangers coach David Quinn said. “I thought he did a good job. It was nice to see him get a goal, but there are other things I think he did a better job in. Overall, our group of wingers have to do a better job on the walls. We’re young on the walls so that’s going to be an area we’re going to have to continue to harp on in practice, through video sessions and things of that nature.…

Kratvsov said all the right things after the game. It took Brady Skjei to get him ti smile after the contest. Kravtsov might be better served by starting the year at Hartford, but then you see hands like that and know what the whole package could be and you think maybe he should start the season in New York.

3) Panarin to Buchnevich to Panarin:

Quinn on the play of the top line:

"They had a good night, for sure," Quinn said. "Obviously, the goal was a highlight-reel goal and they were buzzing pretty good. There are certainly scenarios they can get a little bit better at. I think sometimes when you put three skilled players like that together, it becomes the Harlem Globetrotter hour. We’re going to have to be a little bit more aware that we’re going to have to get inside a little bit more and have more net-front presence. It doesn’t have to be a beauty contest. We’ll work towards that."

Panarin first star:

Nothing like dampening our enthusiasm for the big trio. I thought that line overall was pretty solid. Add in their ability to control the puck in the offensive zone and capacity for closing and you could have a special line. Still a long way to go, but Panarin oozes talent and we know what Zib brings to the table. If Buch plays as he did down the stretch, that line could be impressive.

4) Carp: Another game and more pain-in-the-assery by Lias Andersson. And I mean that in the highest form of flattery. Andersson should make the team as the third line center. If he continues to play as he had, he could be a stalwart on the penalty kill.

5) Skjei - very good tonight. Jumped into play as needed, generating offense, as seen on Kravtsov's goal. Smart defensively. The pairing with Jacob Trouba was a good duo and one to build on.

6) Filip Chytil - Larry Brooks wrote on him today and why his role is not secure and it's possible - not probable - he starts the year in the minors. Andersson did his job today. Kravtsov as well. Brett Howden was okay, not great, so he too could be on the bubble. Chytil gets his chance Thursday, a solid effort could lock up his spot.

The question becomes how quickly? Remember, just because the Rangers’ rebuild trajectory may have been altered by adding Artemi Panarin and Jacob Trouba over the summer, that doesn’t mean that the kids’ respective progress necessarily accelerated as well. This is still about the long-term best interests of each individual youngster, not about doing whatever is expedient to squeeze an extra few points out of the roster in October. Hence, if Strome is playing either second- or third-line center next week, it won’t necessarily be because he took the job, but because one of the kids could not. A prospect or two may need to start in the shallow end of the pool. If that is the case, so be it.

“These young guys playing the middle, it’s very and up and down, it’s very inconsistent,… said Quinn. “So there might be times when all three of them are playing center if they’re all on the roster depending on how they’re playing. Matchups may come into it. What everybody has to understand is that so much goes into these decisions.

“And you want to put these guys in a situation to succeed, too.…

Sink or swim probably is not the most effective means of player development.

“It’s the makeup of the person that [goes into that],… said Quinn. “If you’re sinking, sinking, sinking, sinking, some people can never recover. So I think knowing the player and understanding how much failure you can have, how much damage that could do long-term, I think we all have to be cognizant of that.…

Again. No one is labeling Chytil a failure. But he struggled the second half of last season and hasn’t wowed anyone these last couple of weeks. Meanwhile, Howden has reported as a chiseled-edge specimen after spending his summer working with skills coach John Cara at home in Winnipeg before living for two months with Chris Kreider and soaking in No. 20’s training regimen, and Andersson appears more physically equipped to deal with the NHL than the first two times around.

There are decisions coming. One of them will center on Chytil.

Show Comments
Loading...
Loading...
0
Show comments for this article