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Here are all of my takeaways from today's #NYR prospect scrimmage vs. Philly -- with thoughts on Morgan Barron, Lauri Pajuniemi, Will Cuylle, Matt Rempe, Justin Richards, D pairs and more https://t.co/LZ0eb93HIS@NYRangerFanclub @WeBleedBlueNYC
— Vince Z. Mercogliano (@vzmercogliano) September 18, 2021
Defense pairs. Each had a skilled puck mover and a bigger, defensive-minded guy. Nils Lundkvist was paired with Matthew Robertson, which was probably the best pairing of the afternoon. Then Zac Jones played with Braden Schneider and Hunter Skinner with Tarmo Reunanen. Skinner has quietly been pretty good throughout this came and was solid again on Saturday.
Most of the Rangers' offense came from their top line of Morgan Barron, Lauri Pajuniemi (a fifth round pick in 2018, who played the last four years at Lilga) and Will Cuylle. Those have been the three standout forwards at development camp and achieved a nice balance of size and skill when playing together. Barron and Pajuniemi (wrist shot from the slot off a Barron feed) each scored with Pajuniemi having a goal scored off a deflection in front taken off the board as well. Patrick Khodorenko notched the other tally.
Barron on Pajuniemi: "He’s got a great shot. I think that's the first thing you realize. Even in practice, when he shoots there's a lot of pop off his stick. He’s fun to play with. He talks a lot out there. I think he makes some really good reads. You can tell he's got a high hockey IQ. For someone who's just come over and was playing on the big sheet over in Europe, he's made the adjustment pretty quickly."
Barron with the steal and Barron with the goal. #NYR pic.twitter.com/KAdZlaL0VS
— David 🔹 (@DaveyUpper) September 18, 2021
Khodorenko scores!! #NYR pic.twitter.com/KoHOMPYPvM
— David 🔹 (@DaveyUpper) September 18, 2021
Pajuniemi's gets "Cough" another one "Cough" to make it 3-3. #NYR ( 1st gaol was disallowed) pic.twitter.com/GfhmMOqEND
— David 🔹 (@DaveyUpper) September 18, 2021
Matt Rempe blasted teammate Justin Richards and Flyers prospect Cooper Zech, leaving Richards' face down in his own blood. While unclear if the hit was clean or dirty, a few minutes later, Wade Allison — who's four years older than Rempe — went after the Rangers' 2020 sixth-round pick and dropped the gloves. They exchanged several blows in what Barron called "a big tilt." For the rest of the game, Philly was clearly going after Rempe, who didn't back down and stood his ground while overall having a solid contest.
Flyers go for some revenge on Rempe after that hit from the first shift #NYR pic.twitter.com/A2cnzL35iP
— Vince Z. Mercogliano (@vzmercogliano) September 18, 2021
Richards never returned to the game after that collision with Rempe. The Rangers said it's an upper-body injury and you have to hope it's nothing with the head. He had to miss NHL camp last season after testing positive for COVID and you'd hate to see him derailed again. The Rangers like him as a defensive forward/4C/PK option. With both him and Austin Rueschhoff (lower body) out for most of the game, the Rangers had to make due with 10 forwards.