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Game 74: NYR 2 TOR 1, OT, Georgiev steals the show in win over Maple Leafs
March 24, 2019, 12:51 AM ET [179 Comments]
Jan Levine
New York Rangers Blogger • RSS • Archive • CONTACT
The Rangers may have blown their chance at the fifth spot in the lottery by winning 2-1 win over Toronto. Alexandar Georgiev was brilliant in the victory, carrying the Blueshirts to the win. Pavel Buchnevich (#18) and Ryan Strome (#15) tallied the two Rangers' goals. New York, 2-6-4 in the last 12 games, faces Pittsburgh on home on Monday.

David Quinn Post-Game:



Lines:



Lemieux-Zibanejad-Buchnevich
Namestnikov-Chytil-Lettieri
Vesey-Andersson-Strome
Nieves-Howden-Smith

Claesson-DeAngelo
Skjei-Shattenkirk
Gilmour-Pionk

Ryan Strome Game-Winning Goal:



GM Jeff Gorton on Vitali Kravtsov:



A few thoughts:
1) Solid game by the first line. Goal by Buchnevich, his sixth in the last 10 games and 11th at even strength, on really good work down low in front of the net. Lemieux was his agitative self while Zibanejad continues to create chances.




2) Georgiev was brilliant with his 44 saves. He kept New York in the game and was the sole reason for the win. Georgiev made 55 saves last time, so he clearly is slowing down (sarcasm dripping)




3) Ugly advanced metrics in the win. A 45-28 disparity in shots and a 104-58 overall disparity in attempts that was 82-45 five-on-five. That resulted in 33 blocked shots by the Blueshirts, a team-leading seven by John Gilmour.




4) Brady Skjei had a pretty solid game. He helped set up the first goal and was strong throughout. Same I thought for Kevin Shattenkirk, who has been better lately.

I wrote the below paragraph earlier. As I said, I will note the results of each of the final 10 games here and if New York’s place in the standings has changed. The paragraph reflects the standings as of the current day.

March 19 – Detroit 3 New York 2. Still sixth. Tied with Anaheim, one game in hand. Edmonton lost, so no change
march 20 - Sabres lost (Buffalo has two more points than New York), Ducks lost (team has same number of points as Rangers but New York has two games in hand)
March 21 - Oilers won, so they are four points north of NY with the Rangers having a game in hand
March 22 - Anaheim wins, putting the Rangers for the time-being in fifth place in the lottery
March 23 - New York 2 Toronto 1, OT. Devils win, Oilers lose, Sabres lose, Ducks lose in shootout (get one point)

If the Rangers continue to struggle, they could may slide down one more slot below Anaheim, now in seventh, as they are one point behind them but the Blueshirts have three games in hand. Buffalo and the Rangers have the same number of points and game played, but Buffalo is in sixth. In addition, Vancouver is three points north of the Rangers, with the same number of games played. Edmonton also has three more points than New York and have played one more game while Chicago also has 74 points with the same number of games as the Rangers. New York faces Detroit, Toronto, Pittsburgh, Boston, St. Louis, Philly, New Jersey, Ottawa, Columbus and Pittsburgh down the stretch.


After having three days in between games, the Rangers now finish the season with eight games in the next 14 days, with three in the next seven days, and five in the seven after that, including two sets of back-to-backs. They close the season on a back-to-back (home against Columbus April 5 and in Pittsburgh on April 6). That weekend could decide where New York lands in lottery, anywhere

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