The Rangers, shorthanded again, partially due to their own cap management during the year, found a way to eke out a 3-2 overtime win over the Flyers. Vladimir Tarasenko had his Broadway Hat moment, notching the game-winning overtime goal to go along with his two assists. Tomorrow, Patrick Kane makes his team and MSG debut tomorrow against the Senators.
New York went with 11 forwards and five defensemen. Ryan Lindgren missed his second straight contest with the shoulder injury he suffered Saturday against Washington. K'Andre Miller sat out the first of his three-game suspension, leaving the team with just five blueliners. Adam Fox led the team with almost 30 minutes of ice time while Jacob Trouba, Niko Mikkola, Ben Harpur and Braden Schneider, back from two days of purgatory, all skated between 22:36 and 23:37. Of the 11 forwards, Tyler Motte skated only 6:45 while Jimmy Vesey received just 8:37 of ice time with all the remaining nine forwards skating at least 16:38.
Tonight's lines pic.twitter.com/VxiwJSmrrv
— Rangers on MSG (@RangersMSGN) March 2, 2023
Tarasenko showed the power on his shot and speed through the neutral zone on his game-winning tally. He turned Rasmus Ristolainen inside out, before putting enough mustard on his shot to overpower the d-man's stick and beat Carter Hart. Tarasenko notched assists on the other two goals. On the first, he found Mika Zbanejad in the slot for the PPG. On the second, he put the put off the boards to himself and his shot was deflected by Chris Kreider. That trio showing chemistry will be big since the other lines with Kane arriving are also set in stone for now.
Hard to say much about the D, given the changing personnel. Once Lindgren and Miller return, we will see how the units mesh with the forwards. Harpur most certainly stepped up and showed his value while Mikkola was not as good as he was Sunday, but still solid.
The team as a whole had a decent first, a horrible second with way too many turnovers before rallying in the third. Two points is two points, though the path there was anything but linear. But they found a way, as they have much of the year.
A strong night for Igor Shesterkin. He would like the second goal back. But besides that, I thought he had a good game between the pipes. My guess is we see Jaroslav Halak tomorrow in the back end of the back-to-back, especially with a game in Boston on Saturday.
VLADI TARASENKO FOR THE #NYR WIN. #NOQUITINNY pic.twitter.com/OYZ8eppIPj
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) March 2, 2023
How the two power play units are configured will be a challenge for coach Gerald Gallant. That along with ice time and who to have on the ice late all will have to be determined. The Kid Line has hit a smidge of a lull, but hopefully will benefit from the attention that will have to be paid to the top-six. Gallant has to use the fourth line enough to balance minutes and enable that group to try and grind a little and force the opponent to work to get out of their own zone. One other key is to pray for good health since the Rangers have no cap to call someone up. Right now, Harpur is the one extra player. This is why maximizing cap space during the year by sending players down in paper moves between games would have been smarter. Not great for the players but it might have accrued enough room to allow a move if need be.