The New York Rangers entered their game Saturday against the Anaheim Ducks looking for a bounce-back win after suffering their first regulation loss to the Florida Panthers on Thursday. They were able to do just that, with a 2-1 victory in a battle of goalies at Madison Square Garden.
Jonathan Quick was excellent for the Rangers, making 32 saves on 33 shots, improving his record to 2-0-0 on the season. It was his 30th career win against the Ducks, most against any opponent. Quick outdueled Anaheim’s Lukas Dostal, who stopped 30 of 32 shots.
Ryan Lindgren and Will Cuylle were the goal scorers for the Rangers; and Artemi Panarin, Alexis Lafreniere, Filip Chytil, and Kaapo Kakko each picked up assists.
The Rangers improved to 6-1-1 on the season and 2-1-1 on home ice.
Related: Alexis Lafreniere ‘fired up’ to stay with Rangers on 7-year extension
New York Rangers 2 – Anaheim Ducks 1
The Rangers got off to a much better start than in their loss to the Panthers, when they gave up two goals in the first three minutes against the Panthers. This time around, New York was back to its quick puck movement and sustained offensive zone pressure. The Rangers quickly generated chances, but Dostal stood tall early on.
New York dominated play in the first period but Dostal made 18 saves to keep it a scoreless game. None were better than a point blank chance by Jonny Brodzinski that Dostal barely caught with his left pad, and a breakaway stop against Chytil.
The second period was a near-identical stalemate, but this time, it was the Ducks who had the edge in play.
After another breakaway save by Dostal on Chytil, and some more intense pressure by New York’s top line of Panarin, Vincent Trocheck, and Lafreniere, the Ducks began to ramp up their offensive game.
Now, it was Quick’s turn to make some impressive stops. Though he had been sharp all night, his best came on a Rangers penalty taken at 14:51 of the second. First, Quick flashed the leather on a one-timer by Mason McTavish, leaving him looking to the Garden rafters. Just moments later, Quick made another massive stop on McTavish, a rebound chance after an initial save on a deflected shot.
New York’s penalty kill moved to 22 for 25 on the season, largely due to the efforts of Quick.
Anaheim kept up the pressure, and ended up out-shooting the Rangers 15-8 in the second period, nearly an identical reversal in shots, leaving the Rangers with a slight advantage, 26-22. The game remained scoreless after two periods in a battle of two goaltenders 14 years apart in age.
Finally, the Rangers were able to break the ice. Lindgren snuck down the slot and one-timed a nifty feed from behind the net from Panarin which deflected off Lafreniere before reaching Lindgren, giving the Rangers a 1-0 lead at 4:13 of the third period. The assist gives Panarin 15 points on the season and extends his season-opening point streak to eight straight games.
In his first game since signing a seven-year, $52.15 million contract extension, Lafreniere picked up his fourth assist and eighth point in eight games.
Quick continued to stand tall, stopping an onslaught of chances from the Ducks, who were looking to respond.
The Rangers thought they had a 2-0 lead off a goal from Cuylle at 8:42, but the goal was disallowed due to offsides on the play, leaving the score at 1-0. Not so fast, though. Cuylle responded with another goal at 11:54. Chytil and Kakko earned the assists, though all five Rangers touched the puck on the play. Oddly enough, the play was reviewed once again, this time for a kicking motion, but the goal stood.
Just when the Rangers thought they breathe easy, the Ducks responded with a goal of their own. Leo Carlsson fed the puck across the ice and it was deflected in by Owen Zellweger at 12:38, bringing Anaheim within one.
The Ducks pulled Dostal with roughly two minutes remaining in the game, but they were no match for Quick, who made several grade-A saves to close out the game, and give New York the 2-1 victory.
The Rangers are back in action on Tuesday when they travel to Washington to take on Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals. Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m.
