The Rangers lost a highly-competitive and substantially skilled game to the Maple Leafs on Saturday, 4-3 in a shootout. New York's true top line was brilliant in the loss, scoring all three goals for the Blueshirts. Mitch Marner's shootout tying goal that extended the skills competition and allowed Toronto to win was not without a little controversy. In addition, we all got the Matt Rempe-Ryan Reeves fight that was expected. The Rangers face the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference leading Panthers on Monday at MSG.
A few thoughts:
1) True top line for the Rangers: in case there was any question, the Artemi Panarin-Vincent Trocheck-Alexis Lafrenière trio is by far the team's true first line. As Vince Mercogliano noted, 11 New York line combinations have logged 50 minutes or more this season, according to moneypuck.com, with those units combining for 85 total goals. The Panarin-Trocheck-Lafrenière line has produced 37 of them, or 43.5%.
Panarin notched a pair of assists and is now up to 84 points (35 goals and 49 assists), as he marches toward what could be his first-ever 100-point season. Yesterday, the main star was Vincent Trocheck, who notched a pair of goals, including the tying tally with 1:07 left. The 30-year-old center is second on the team with 58 points (22 goals and 36 assists) and has an outside shot at exceeding his career-high of 75 points set in 2017-18 as a member of the Panthers.
While Panarin and Trocheck rightfully get the publicity, Lafrenière is the player we should be talking about more. He has moved from a passenger on that train to a driver of play, putting the "bust" label somewhat in the rear view mirror. More is expected and likely to come from Laf, though the narrative about him always starts with the term, "former first overall pick." Granted, that's accurate and he has not lived up to that lofty status, yet. But his game continues to grow daily,. While it may not seem like much, he is on pace for his first ever 50-point season and I think we all believe he is just scratching the surface of how good he can be.
I have always said confidence begets confidence. Lafrenière certainly is playing with confidence. It's highly evident each shift he is on the ice. He believes he can score and dominate and be physical and use his skills, rather than hoping he can. That's the key difference from the past.
But while those two are earning their share of praise, it almost feels like Lafrenière is flying under the radar. That may sound like a wild statement about a former No. 1 overall pick, but he's not getting enough credit for that line's success. He's quietly pacing toward his first 50-point season, with a blossoming combination of confidence, offensive instincts and skill that's coming together before our eyes. Lafrenière has put his early-season struggles to convert behind him and has eight points in his last seven games, along with four goals in his last five. As a result, he's tied last year's career high with 39 points (18 goals and 21 assists), with 21 games still to play.
2) Second line: as good as the true first line has been, is as bad as the listed first line has been. As Vince Mercogliano noted, Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad and Kaapo Kakko were each held off the scoresheet again Saturday, with none registering a five-on-five point in the last four games. In fact, Zibanejad hasn't scored a 5v5 goal since Dec. 23 − a shocking span of 29 games − and is sitting on just five such goals for the season.
To me, this is damning, "they spent much of the night hemmed in their own end. They were out-shot by a lopsided 11-2 margin, according to Natural Stat Trick, while struggling to transition pucks from one zone to the next and surrendering six of the Leafs' 15 high-danger scoring chances at 5v5. No other New York line allowed more than three." All those number are ugly and was a huge reason why New York lost.
Zib is playing a 200-foot game, but he has morphed into the current version of Rick Nash, doing almost everything but scoring. But as seen in the above paragraph, yesterday, he and his line were cratered. Confidence begets confidence and right now, that trio - and especially Zib and likely Kreider - have none.
A radical change may be needed. Coach Peter Laviolette was asked in Sunday's press conference if they have considered breaking up the duo. Lavy couched his answer but did say everything and anything is always discussed. The probable reason why not to shake things up is what would you do? You can't break up the real top line, Jimmy Vesey has been tried there and Will Cuylle is not ready, nor is he fit for that role. This means that the two vets have to figure this out on their own and find a way to be productive, at least until a deal is hopefully made.
3) Rempe-Reeves: we all knew that a fight was coming, the only question was when. Reeves tried to get Rempe to engage earlier in the game but was rebuffed. Rempe heeded both Laviolette's and his teammates advice that he wasn't obligated to accept every challenge, Once Rempe blasted Ilya Lyubushkin, despite that advice, the only question was when the fight would take place. The clock continued to tick and each time the dup was on the ice, the only question was would it happen then.
But when Reaves approached him for the final time with 5:59 to play, I think we all expected this to be the one. Rempe hesitated for a moment and looked to the Rangers' bench for direction, with a few teammates motioning for him to go ahead. Once he got the green light, it was on.
The two threw blows and Rempe did a much better job of using his long reach and listening to John Scott's advice, to hold the jersey up higher and not allow Reeves to extend his arms. Plus, Rempe wasn't throwing wildly, picking his spots. He still was tagged a few times, and as I have said before, i am more concerned about the person than the player based on the cumulative blows he is taking.
In addition, Rempe was late on a few checks yesterday, hitting a few beats after the puck was moved. The league and the officials will be watching this, same with his opponents. Rempe needs to be careful in that regard to avoid a penalty moving forward.
4) Last, but not least, at least for the game, was Marner's shootout winner. To me, it looked like Marner went slightly backwards just before beating Igor, but the angle may be deceiving. Others felt he went sideways and the puck didn't go backwards. I let you be the judge.
5) Congrats to Jonathan Quick on the well-deserved one-year contract extension for $1.275 million. I fall on the sword and admit my mistake as I thought adding Quick was a bad idea, how wrong I was. He has been brilliant, aided by his desire to return back to the East Coast and play for the team he rooted for as a kid.
Quick has posted a 13-5-2 record with two shutouts, a 2.45 GAA and a .916 save percentage through 21 appearances. As good as those numbers are, they don't tell the full story. Quick saved the Rangers' bacon when Igor Shesterkin was struggling and has provided a safe landing spot when a win is needed and the "back up" is in, though he has not played like a backup.
The deal is a good one for both sides. Quick gets one more season and should break the mark for most wins by a US goalie in a Rangers jersey if he doesn't notched four wins the remainder of the season (side note, we all hope he does). New York gets cost certainty from their second netminder as a mild increase over his current salary.
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