The Rangers opened their post-All-Star break with a 2-1 overtime win. Alexis Lafreniere tallied the game-winner while Jonathan Quick made 32 saves, several of them brilliant, in notching the win. The win was New York's second straight with the team slated to face the Lightning on National TV on Wednesday.
A few thoughts:
1) Overall performance - Colorado carried play for most of the first period, using their speed to push the Blueshirts on their heels and the physical style to create additional space in the offensive zone. The Avalanche's goal came on a stellar one-man rus by Nathan MacKinnon who beat K'Andre Miller in the neutral zone with his shot deflecting off Braden Schneider's stick past Quick.
A tweak between periods, brought up by coach Peter Laviolette in the post-game press conference and written by Vince Mercogliano, made a huge difference. That modification or pair of modifications helped somewhat limit the Av's attack, though they still had several good chances. The tide turned a little in the second but was more evident in the third.
The most notable tweak was scrapping his strategy of using the Jimmy Vesey-Barclay Goodrow-Tyler Pitlick line to matchup against MacKinnon after they had been hemmed in their own end for much of the first.
"We should have maybe thought about that with (MacKinnon's) speed and the way he attacks the neutral zone," said Laviolette, who expressed regret for not making the switch sooner. "That's on me, and we made that adjustment after the first period."
From that point on, he handed that responsibility over to Zibanejad's line with Kreider and Blake Wheeler, who did a much better job of dueling with the Avs' top trio.
I give the Blueshirts high marks for not losing focus and chasing the game, which would have put them in a bad defensive position. By maintaining their style of play, the game was just 1-0 until Artemi Panarin scored. That doesn't mean all was right with the world or their play, as Colorado was most certainly the more dangerous team and New York's need for speed was even more evident in this contest.
2) Defense - I thought the D was solid in the win. Miller, other than the one faux pas, had a good overall contest. His little tussle with Mikko Rantanen was the most physical we have seen in a while. Zac Jones, playing his second straight game for the suspended Jacob Trouba, was good again. He may not be suited for a full-time role but showed he can be a fill-in and has raised his trade value, if New York opts to go in that direction.
3) Quick - if someone would have told you way back in September that Quick possibly should be the team's #1 goalie, you would have said the season has gone to hell in a handbasket. This is far from the case, and yet, Quick has vastly outplayed Igor Shesterkin. The longtime King is 11-4-2 with a .918 save percentage and 2.35 goals against average in 18 appearances. Those numbers far exceed what Igor has posted.
Laviolette now has a tough decision. Does he roll with the hot goalie who was the primary reason for the win last night or go with the netminder that has been the stalwart between the pipes the last few seasons and is probably the future for the team? Quick stoned Rantanen in the slot with under a minute to go, then made three brilliant saves in overtime, including one on Rantanen to keep New York in the game allowing the win.
Igor has struggled this season and the hope was that the break would allow him to recalibrate. In addition, his solid performance in the All-Star festivities could propel him forward. All that said, Laviolette could turn tomorrow to Quick, who was the first goalie off today, though reportedly no decision has been made.
Laviolette was pretty vague when asked today, saying, "There's kind of a long-term plan and there's a short-term plan, and at times those things change."
Would you go with the hot hand or focus on the big picture? #NYR
Lavy has to balance the here and the now vs. the future. In my opinion, Lavy should roll with Quick while he is hot. Igor's fine regular season mark vs. Tampa could sway his decision, but I would go with the hot hand for now and that's quick. Have Shesterkin continue to work with Benoit Allaire, especially high-glove, and turn to him when needed.
4) Trade deadline: If the below is true at around the five-minute mark, James Dolan has as usual put publicity over winning. Not being able to trade a 2024 first-rounder because the draft is at the Sphere, which is owned by Dolan, and he wants the team to be front and center there is ridiculously short-sighted. But why should we be surprised.
INSIDER TRADING…
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