The Rangers won their second straight game, defeating the Devils 3-1 at MSG on Monday. Mika Zibanejad got the 5x5 scoring monkey off his back, tallying his first at even stretch since December 23. Jonathan Quick was solid between the pipes when needed for New York, who gave Carolina tonight on the road with a four-point divisional lead and 18 games remaining.
Game recap:
Rangers lineup vs. Devils:
Kreider-Zibanejad-Roslovic
Panarin-Trocheck-Lafrenière
Cuylle-Wennberg-Kakko
Vesey-Goodrow-Rempe
A few thoughts:
1) Matt Rempe - of course we have to start with Rempe. Yesterday was again a mixed bag, all within a 30 second span. That is going to create a dilemma for coach Peter Laviolette.
For the second straight game, it was the fourth line helping to add a critical insurance goal. Late in the second period, Rempe won the faceoff, got in on the forecheck and set a beautiful and unmovable screen in front of Kaapo Kahkonen. Erik Gustafsson’s long wrist shot that beat Kahkonen over his glove hand was largely a result of Rempe’s - and Barclay Goodrow’s - presence in front of the net minded. The fourth line, which includes Jimmy Vesey, were strong again. That’s the good.
Now the flip side. Laviolette left that line on the ice as a reward for the goal with less than a minute in the second period. He took an unnecessary and stupid five-minute major and match penalty on a dangerous hit against Jonas Siegenthaler, with Rempe’s left elbow flying up high and hitting the Devils' defenseman in the chin.
Coming into the game, we knew Kurtis MacDermid - acquired March 1 to provide the Devils some toughness and to respond for Rempe’s hit on Nathan Bastian - chased Rempe to engage every time they were on the ice before the penalty. Rempe wisely walked away but he poked the beat again with his hit on Siegenthaler. The referees kept the two separated, but Rempe raised the temperature level by waiving bye bye to MacDermid as he was escorted off the ice.
Siegenthaler did not return and Rempe was tossed down the rest of the game. Part of the reason why it was started, beyond the illegal nature of the hit, was that New York had all the momentum and would have gone into the second period intermission with a 2-0 lead. Instead, the Rangers had to kill a five minute major and the Devils went into the locker room an angry and motivated group.
Rempe has to be a lot smarter. I have said before that I felt he is a beat or two late with his checks. In this case, the elbow was dirty - likely not with an intent or malice - but unneeded. He is going to get or burnish his reputation as a dirty player if he keeps this up. Rempe likely will get a deserved 1-3 game suspension. I would dress Jonny Brodzinski and call up Adam Edstrom, recently sent down, so the team has another option if needed.
Laviolette has to decide if he can dress Rempe if the player keeps taking bad penalties or getting thrown out. I. The regular season it’s bad enough. In the playoffs, it’s egregious and could cost the team a game and the round.
2) Balanced lines - all four units contributed.
As noted above, the fourth line was on for one goal by New York. Maybe not noticed is how good Goodrow has been recently, aided to the solid play of that trio.
As Vince Mercogliano wrote, the Will Cuylle-Wennberg-Kaapo Kakko line took many of their shifts against Jersey's dangerous trio of Jack Hughes, Erik Haula and Jesper Bratt, holding them off the scoresheet with a hounding forecheck and strong execution on the 1-3-1 neutral-zone trap. As a line, they allowed only two shots on goal, according to Natural Stat Trick.
We know how good the Artemi Panarin is and they were flying last night. Alexis Lafreniete hit the post, Panarin was buzzing and Vincent Trocheck tallied the empty net goal to clinch the game. Overall, another strong performance by the Rangers’ best and most dangerous line.
3) Mika Magic - Zib had gone 30 straight games without a five-on-five goal, He finally lit the lamp when Jack Roslovic pressured the Devils into a turnover and Chris Kreider dished a pass from behind the net, with No. 93 doing the rest. What impressed the most on the goal was his patience.
Quite cognizant of his 5x5 struggles, you could have understood if he shot the puck immediately. But Zib showed patience, first deking John Marino and then putting a backhand in between the blocker and body of Kahkonen for the tally. While Zib hadn’t been derelict in his other responsibilities on the ice, still playing a 200-foot game, you could see the relief in his face after he scored.
4) Defense - Adam Fox played despite missing the morning skate with an illness. That left the pairings the same as Saturday. While the team only allows one goal and 20 shots on net, to me, gets doesn’t tell the full story.
I thought New Jersey had lots of chances for high danger shots they just missed. Passes were not on target, but not due to the D, just poor plays. Gaps in the D existed and the team allowed too much room in the neutral zone during stretches of the game. While the Devils didn’t take advantage of that, other teams will. Zib saw it different but I have a dispirit view of that.
"I think we're doing a better job with the puck and just some of the decision making that we're doing out there," Zibanejad said. "First of all, I don't think we're allowing a lot of grade-A chances, but I don't think we're allowing a lot of shots, either. We’re trying to keep them on the outside, trying to close a little bit quicker. But I think especially against a team like this, they've got incredible talent and speed. You don't want to feed into their game in transition and give that time to their skill guys."
4) Lost in the Rempe focus was the play of Quick. I thought he was strong when needed, especially on a few shots on the five minute penalty kill. After not having played for a few week. Quick didn’t show any rust.
Last, if you are going come with 20 of your friends to a road arena, show a little class. If someone disagrees with a penalty kill and then admits after the replay, Rempe should have been tossed, to barrage me with F bombs and tell me to suck you and curse at me and my 18-year-old daughter, then you honestly should be thrown out the arena. Glad you all played the faux tough guys and embarrassed yourself. Hope you had a fun ride back home on NJ transit after the loss.
New York Rangers Blogger • 
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