The Rangers rallied for a 4-3 overtime win over the Bruins on Saturday. After getting embarrassed 7-1 vs. the Devils on Friday and outscored 13-4 in their first three preseason games, New York fell behind 1-0 and 3-1 before tying the game on a Kevin Rooney penalty shot in the third. After losing the opening faceoff and not seeing possession of the puck at all in the overtime. Alexis Lafreniere knocked down an attempted clear by Linus Ullmark, then beat the goalie with a backhand to win the game. The Blueshirts are now off until Wednesday when they face New Jersey again.
While just the preseason, a win like Saturday was a needed tonic after Friday's embarrassment. In the victory, Nils Lundkvist - who per coach Gerard Gallant has not locked up a roster spot - added two primary assists and continued his streak of not being on ice for a goal against this preseason. The comment by Gallant came following Friday's contest when he was asked if Nils was a favorite to earn the sixth d-man spot. "That’s not fair," he said. "There are a bunch of guys right there for that spot." Unsure what more Lundkvist can do, and if you compare his performance to some others on the blue line, he would seem to have a roster and lineup spot in the bag. But Zac Jones, Braden Schneider and Matthew Robertson, as well as veteran Jarred Tinordi and holdover Libor Hájek remain in the mix.
Friday, Jacob Trouba and K'Andre Miller were a dreadful minus-four. While plus-minus isn't the end all and be all, the pair also did not look good at all. Granted, it's the preseason, but with a new coach in town, past performance may not have much weight. Could, as Rick Carpinello noted in his Friday game recap, Miller get demoted so that Ryan Lindgren, Jones and Patrik Nemeth can be the three left defensemen? As Carp said, that, to me, would just be silly. But could we see Miller and Lindgren swap pairmates, putting Miller and Fox as one pair and Lindgren and Trouba, despite the lack of foot speed, as the other? Yes, that could be possible.
Gallant also noted Friday that he's comfortable playing the lefty-shooting Nemeth on both the left and right sides, depending on which defenseman emerges from the competition. Despite that statement and his comment on Nils on Friday, I still think Lundkvist is the favorite to earn the third-pair spot opposite Nemeth. That said, nothing is clearly set in stone and the final pairing likely won't be set until right before the season starts.
Jones, Schneider and Robertson all are likely ticketed for Hartford to start the season. Keeping one as the seventh d-man makes no sense at all, since each could use the additional work if they are not going to receive regular shifts, which looks to be the case. Jones, though, has been extremely impressive and it would not be shocking if he forces his way onto the team. Jarred Tinordi is penciled in as the seventh d-man, though, given his lack of speed and inability to play solid defense, as he possesses just the ability to hit, I would prefer Hájek, who won’t make it through waivers, make the team rather than Tinordi, which isn't saying that much.
Vitali Kravtsov, slated to start the season on the third line next to Filip Chytil and Barclay Goodrow, did not play as expected Saturday after suffering a lower-body injury Friday. Julien Gauthier received a chance in Kravtsov's absence Friday and made the most of that opportunity. He drove to the net with a power move in one sequence, then showed off his skating ability later in the game to set up Chytil, who was stopped point-blank. Gauthier's size, speed and physicality can be a weapon, but too often he failed to flash all or even one.
Gauthier was solid again Saturday, skating to the right of Dryden Hunt and Morgan Barron. He was snakebit again, failing to score despite several good chances. But his solid play this weekend could give him a leg up on securing one of the few roster spots on the team. This is one of those decisions that will also likely come down to the final preseason game.
Carp summarized the dilemma Gallant and the Rangers have well in his column: Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, Ryan Strome (who scored the first goal Saturday), Chris Kreider, Alexis Lafrenière, Kaapo Kakko, Barclay Goodrow, Sammy Blais (who scored Saturday), Ryan Reaves and Filip Chytil are absolute slam dunks. Kevin Rooney is going to make the team. Dryden Hunt is going to make the team, I think. That’s 12. Julien Gauthier is being considered. Morgan Barron has a shot. If Goodrow-Chytil-Hunt, for example, is going to be a grinding third line and Reaves-Rooney-Blais the fourth, or some combo of those six, where does Kravtsov fit? Or Barron? Or Gauthier?
Kravtsov has had an okay camp. Not spectacular enough where he has definitely locked up a spot but also not poor enough where he is out of contention. One additional factor has to be the concern as to how he would react mentally if he is sent down. The spectre of a return to Russia, given past history, can't be ruled out. Would that be a key consideration in the decision making process? Should it be? Gauthier does provide additional size next to Chyil and Goodrow, but Kravtsov adds a level of skill that should aid Chytil's attempt to prove that he can be the third line center and also remain as a pivot man.
As of now. Barron and Greg McKegg both looked to be earmarked for Hartford. Hunt and Gauthier would need to clear waivers to be sent down. If that was attempted, my guess is both would get claimed. Assuming the Rangers' top-12 forwards are set and they're going to carry seven defensemen, that leaves only two open spots, presuming the Rangers carry 14 forwards, which would be filled by Kravtsov and Gauthier. But, if the team only goes with 13 forwards, as that seems to be the likely path, could Kravtsov be the odd man out to avoid losing either Gauthier or Hunt? To me, since the team has the available cap room, keeping 14 forwards, even though that means two won't get a lot of work, makes more sense than possibly losing one or alienating Kravtsov to send him down.
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