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Rangers rally, scoring six straight goals, to defeat Coyotes 7-3 at MSG |
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The Rangers started the game looking like they were going to get waxed by the Coyotes. But a shorthanded goal by Chris Kreider, set up by a brilliant play by Jacob Trouba, kicked off six straight goals. Kredier notched a hat trick, Trouba added a pair and the Blueshirts posted a 7-3 win. New York takes on Los Angeles on Monday at MSG.
Game recap:
A few thoughts:
1) Kreider scored at even strength, on the power play and shorthanded, and had an assist. With those four points, Kreider is up to 29 goals, tied for first in the league with Alex Ovechkin, and 13 assists in 42 games. He now has 14 power-play goals on the season. The 30-year-old has scored eight goals in an NHL career-long five-game goal streak. More important, he has become ven more of a leader on and off-the-ice, comfortable with his role and his game, which came and went in years past.
As I posted the other day, Larry Brooks' column gave great insight on how and why Kreider has matured.
2) Trouba changed the tone of the game. Angered after his attempted clear hit the lineman, resulting in Clayton Keller's goal, Trouba became a man possessed. While shorthanded, he attacked the puck-carrier near the blue line, creating a turnover, leading to his race up ice the puck - which coupled with Mika Zibanejad's brilliant keep of the puck - resulted in Kreider's shortie.
in addition, Trouba, who played 24:08, added a second goal of his own, after notching the Rangers' first of the night in the open stanza, while racking up eight shots on net. In addition, he had three hits and a blocked shot while keeping the team up on the bench, leading to the win. This is why he has the A on his sweater and has been one of the more valuable players on the team this season.
3) Lineup: Kaapo Kakko, who skated in warmups, was scratched just before the game for Julien Gauthier. Rumor is that Kakko has been dealing with a bit of a wrist injury for a little bit. Filip Chytil moved back to center the third unit between Alexis Lafreniere and Gautier, while Hunt landed on the first. Barclay Goodrow was bumped up to the right wing of the second line next to Artemi Panarin and Ryan Strome.
Kreider-Zibanejad-Hunt
Panarin-Strome-Goodrow
Lafreniere-Chytil-Gauthier
McKegg-Rooney-Reaves
Lindgren-Fox
Miller-Trouba
Nemeth-Schneider
Shesterkin
Scratches: Tinordi, Hajek, Kakko
I wrote, we shall see if this works. Well....Chytil also left the game with a lower-body injury after playing just 4:08 and the team was asleep in the first and the first half of the second period. Part of that might have been due to the squad not landing in NY until 3am after the contest in Carolina.
To help jumpstart their engines, Coach Gerard Gallant put the big boy line together, moving Panarin up to skate on the left of Zib and Kreider and the team took off. In addition, Gallant rolled three lines until the team took a commanding lead, then used the bottom six a bit more. Despite that, Gauthier saw just 8:43 and Hunt 9:49 of ice time. If either Kakko or Chytil can't go Monday, look for Morgan Barron to hopefully play.
4) Per Jeff Marek in 32 Thoughts on Hockey Night in Canada, the Rangers have offered a package including Vitali Kravtsov for Jakub Chychrun. In addition, the team has inquired about Jake DeBrusk. As seen in the tweet, many other teams are interested in Chychrun, who likely will need a trade out of Arizona to reach his potential.
Making $4.6 million for each of the next three years, to acquire Chychrun salary in the future must be shed to facilitate a deal. Given the other franchises in the mix, the cost to acquire - as we all know - will be high. But adding Chychrun would bolster the left side of the blueliner. Imagine Chychrun with Adam Fox or Trouba with Ryan Lindgren playing with either one and your top-four becomes extremely robust. Braden Schneider as a third pair, right-side d-man becomes even more valuable, with or without K'Andre Miller.
While most want Kratvsov gone, remember the last time a "mercurial" winger was dealt to Arizona. His rise did not really happen with the Coyotes and it several seasons for him to reach his potential, but look what Anthony Duclair is now doing. Getting Chychrun would be a boon, but a top-six winger is also a must.
DeBrusk is making $3,675,000 mil this season and is an RFA. At that price, I will pass on him for the future, so he should be viewed as a rental. Other better options hopefully exist, so I would put DeBrusk as a secondary focus, not primary one.
New York Rangers Blogger • 
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