Victor Mancini scores goal in 1st game after Rangers assign defenseman to AHL Hartford
It certainly won’t be a case of out of sight, out of mind when it comes to the New York Rangers and Victor Mancini. The 22-year-old defenseman is making sure of that.
Days after being assigned to the minor leagues by the Rangers, Mancini scored a goal and was named the game’s Second Star in a 4-2 Hartford Wolf Pack win against the Charlotte Checkers on Friday.
Mancini picked off a clearing attempt at the right point inside the blue line to start his unassisted scoring play early in the third period. He confidently burst forward on right wing, danced around one defender and then sent a shot/pass towards the slot which appeared to hit Checkers goalie Chris Driedger — a former NHLer — in the pads and and carom into the net at 3:23.
The goal gave Hartford a 2-1 lead at the time. It was Mancini’s first in the American Hockey League. Last season, he had three assists in seven games with Hartford after finishing up his collegiate career at University of Nebraska-Omaha. He also didn’t score a goal in 10 Calder Cup Playoff games last spring.
It wasn’t his first professional goal, though. Mancini scored his first NHL goal before his initial one in the minors. That came on Oct. 17 against the Detroit Red Wings in his home state of Michigan and fourth NHL game, against former Rangers goalie Cam Talbot.
Mancini had four points (one goal, three assists) and a plus-3 rating in nine games with the Rangers. The 6-foot-3, 229-pounder proved he could play at the NHL level after surprisingly making the team out of training camp, taking advantage of an injury to Ryan Lindgren, which opened up a spot on the defense corps.
However, his defensive metrics headed in the wrong direction his last few games in the lineup. His 33.46 xGF percentage is worst on the Rangers, per Natural Stat Trick. New York was out-shot 93-49 with him on the ice, and out-chanced 91-48.
Zac Jones passed him on the depth chart and Mancini was a healthy scratch for four games before he was assigned to Hartford.
But he’s clearly the top option for recall should there be a need for a defenseman again this season in New York. Playing heavy minutes in all situations in Hartford will only help his overall development.
Related: Rangers ‘really happy’ with Victor Mancini despite assigning to AHL Hartford
Rangers recall forward from Wolf Pack after Filip Chytil injury
Jake Leschyshyn – photo courtesy Hartford Wolf Pack
It was a big night for Hartford defensemen in the victory Friday. Each of the Wolf Pack’s four goals was scored by a defenseman, with Connor Mackey, Brandon Scanlin and Casey Fitzgerald also finding the back of the net. Scanlin’s goal at 6:25 of the third proved to be the game-winner, and Fitzgerald added a short-handed goal into an empty net to ice the victory.
In addition, defenseman Matthew Robertson, a former second-round pick by the Rangers, assisted on two goals. Robertson now has six assists on the season, tied for second on the Wolf Pack with Fitzgerald and forward Alex Belzile. His seven points are one behind Fitzgerald (eight) for most among Hartford defensemen.
The Rangers are also keeping a close eye on hulking forward Matt Rempe in Hartford. The 22-year-old had three shots on goal Friday, but remains scoreless and minus-6 (second worst on the Wolf Pack) in six games after being sent down by the Rangers.
Center Jake Leschyshyn, who assisted on Fitzgerald’s goal Friday, was recalled by the Rangers on Saturday in the wake of a Filip Chytil’s recent injury. Chytil sustained an upper-body injury in New York’s 3-2 win against the San Jose Sharks on Thursday after the center collided with teammate K’Andre Miller.
Leschyshyn has 77 games of NHL experience, including 14 with the Rangers. The 25-year-old is expected to be the extra forward with Jonny Brodzinski sliding into the lineup to replace Chytil.
The Wolf Pack are 6-1-0-0 on home ice this season after the win Friday and host Providence on Saturday.
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