The Rangers swept their two weekend games, rallying from 2-0 down to defeat the Blues on Friday and shutting out the Flyers 3-0 on Sunday. Alexandar Georgiev was brilliant against St. Louis, stopping 44 shots, while the Rangers D was better against Philly, requiring Georgiev to stop “only… 29 shots. New York is right back at it tonight, facing New Jersey at the Rock.
Georgiev, 7-4-3/.926/2.60 in 14 starts since Feb. 6 continues to impress and raise questions how New York will treat him next year and beyond. The specter of Igor Shestyorkin looms but Georgiev’s play has opened some eyes. Making future decisions even more interesting.
Shestyorkin, taken in the fourth round of the 2014 draft, long ago anointed as Henrik Lundqvist’s heir apparent. But, that view may have changed somewhat seeing how well Georgiev has played this year. In addition, while it once seemed a lead pipe cinch that Shestyorkin would sigh with New York when SKA’s KHL playoffs end and be in North America next season, nothing is set in stone. Even if Shestyorkin does come over, he will have to beat out Georgiev for a spot on next year’s roster and could start the season in Hartford. Add in the presence of Adam Huska and Olof Lindblom and New York May be loaded in goaltending.
I have already seen lots of speculation as to what the Rangers will do with Georgiev. Should they trade him for other assets, does he carve out even more of the action between the pipes next season, should be open the season in Hartford so that he may not have to be protected down the road in the expansion draft. Remember, Henrik Lundqvist’s contract expires in two seasons, that’s when the expansion draft takes place. Meaning, that Hank will not need to be protected. Georgiev, if he continues to progress, could be the one protected with another veteran netminder signed to be exposed, especially if Shestyorkin spends all of next season in the minors.
Marc Staal’s comments after Friday’s win sums up the team’s mindset. A win in March is the same as one in October and November. However, knowing where New York is in the ping pong ball lottery, victories now seem to take on a greater weight, especially based on how the other teams near New York in the standings have played. But, players will always play hard, at least they should regardless of the situation. Coach David Quinn, despite the standings and the hope by many for continued losses, continues to demand excellence as he should. Younger players learn what’s required to play in this league, even late in a relatively lost year, resulting in what transpired Friday and yesterday against a Flyers team that was just eliminated from playoff contention and had their minds on a spring vacation.
“It can be a very slippery slope if young guys think it’s OK for a team not to give 100 percent every night,… Staal, who logged 19:50 in his return from a two-game absence with an unidentified lower-body issue, told The Post. “You can’t be here and think that losing is OK. That’s not what this league is about. That’s not how it works.“If you’re in this room, you have the obligation to compete on every shift and do whatever you can to win the game. There are nights when maybe we bend to the situation we’re in and don’t have it in us to give out best. That’s just reality. But it doesn’t make it acceptable.…
Friday, Ryan Strome with his 17th and Pavel Buchnevich with his 18th keyed the rally from a 2-0 deficit. Jimmy Vesey tallied his 17th for the game-winner. Sunday, the Rangers scored twice within a span of 3:57 late in the first for all the scoring their would need. Buchnevich finishing a relay from Mika Zibanejad to notch his 11th goal in his last 23 games and 20th overall at 16:25 before Strome recorded his ninth in the last 14 matches and 18th overall at 19:57.
After struggling and getting benched, Buchnevich has really found his game the last six weeks. He is going into the dirty areas and looks like a much different player on the ice. If he remains with Zib and Chris Kreider, a 30-goal season next year wouldn’t shock me.
Strome, acquired for Ryan Spooner, has really stepped up his game of late, playing wing and center. Despite that production, a good part of his production is due to an unsustained 22% shooting percentage. How the Rangers evaluate Strome - is his success solely due to the shooting percentage or a ride in his play, despite advantages metrics that may not support this - will play a major role in whether they try and deal him this off-season. If he is viewed as a solid complimentary piece and/or offers for him are underwhelming, he could fill the 2C role until Filip Chytil is ready.
Brendan Lemieux was scratched Sunday. “He’s played a lot of minutes,’’ Quinn said. “I think his game has slipped a little bit. It’s really been a drastic change for him since he came over from Winnipeg, so I just felt it was in his best interest to sit him out and put him in [Monday against the Devils].’’ . . Not the worst idea in the world to give Lemieux a break, seeing his rise in minutes post-arrival. John Gilmour and Connor Brickley were the other two scratches Sunday, with Gilmour sure as heck looking like he will be gone as a Group VI free agent after the season.
I wrote the below paragraph earlier. As I said, I will note the results of each of the final 10 games here and if New York’s place in the standings has changed. The paragraph also reflects the current standings.
March 19 - Detroit 3 New York 2. Still sixth. Tied with Anaheim, one game in hand. Edmonton lost, so no change March 20 - Sabres lost (Buffalo has two more points than New York), Ducks lost (team has same number of points as Rangers but New York has two games in hand) March 21 - Oilers won, so they are four points north of NY with the Rangers having a game in hand March 22 - Anaheim wins, putting the Rangers for the time-being in fifth place in the lottery March 23 - New York 2 Toronto 1, OT. Devils win, Oilers lose, Sabres lose March 24 - No games impacted the bottom of the standings March 25 - Pitt 5 NYR 2, Devils beat Sabres 3-1 March 26 - Sabres lost, Ducks beat Canucks, Oilers won March 27 - Boston 6 New York 3 March 28 – Detroit 5-4 in overtime over Buffalo, so the Sabres earn a point, Oilers lose 3-2 in shootout, but gain a point. Vancouver 3-2 over LA in a shootout. Chicago 5-4 over San Jose. March 29 – Rangers 4 Blues 2, Red Wings defeated the Devils, Flames defeated the Ducks March 30 – Blues defeated the Devils in overtime, Sabres lost, Canucks won in a shootout, Ducks defeated the Oilers, Kings beat the Blackhawks in overtime March 31 – Rangers 3 Flyers 0, Sabres lost
The Rangers may stay in sixth, as they are now, but their two straight wins and number of games remaining makes that somewhat questionable due to having games in hand on several teams battling the Blueshirts for ping-pong ball placement. Chicago has four more points than New York with both teams having four games remaining while Vancouver is now just three points north of the Rangers, with New York holding one game in hand. In addition, Edmonton is only has two more points than New York while playing the same number of game, while Anaheim has one point more than New York, who have two games in hand. Detroit has 72 points with one more game played, tied with Buffalo. New Jersey, who has the third pick as of now, has played one more game and has seven fewer points than New York. Those two wins by New York may have a material impact on the ping-pong ball race. If the Blueshirts had lost both, right now, they would be in fourth, three points ahead of the Devils with the two teams playing tonight. New York has faced Detroit, Toronto. Pittsburgh, Boston, St. Louis and Philly with New Jersey, Ottawa, Columbus and Pittsburgh still to be played.
The Rangers finish the season with four games in the next six days, including the completion of a back-to-back today. They close the season on a back-to-back (home against Columbus April 5 and in Pittsburgh on April 6).