The Rangers improved to 3-0 on their five-game West Coast trip, defeating the Oilers by just that score. Jonathan Quick made 29 saves to notch the 379th win and 59th shutout of his career. Adam Fox and Braden Schneider each had a goal and an assist while Alexis Lafreniere lit the lamp for the third straight game. The Rangers face Vancouver on Saturday, after which the team and Blake Wheeler, who had his best game of the season last night, are in Winnipeg on on Monday to finish the road trip.
A few thoughts:
1) Quick - really good analysis by Steve Valiquette, yes, I know he is now liked by all, but a nice job giving insight as to how goaltending coach Benoit Allaire makes a difference. Quick is more centered and in the blue paint, giving him less room to travel in the crease, enabling him to make saves. Post-game, it was all about we, not I.
"We got the win, right? So, that’s first and foremost,” Quick said. “We’re playing the right way. We’re keeping the puck, we’re keeping their team in front of our [defensemen] and making them come through five guys in order to get a chance.
“If you consistently do that, it’s a good recipe for winning games. Against a team as potent as they are, held to two power plays and how well we did on the [penalty kill] definitely contributes to the win.”
2) Defense triggering offense - in the post-game, Schneider was asked if the better understanding of the system has allowed the defense to be triggered more offensively (see MSG recap above). Fox has eight points, six on the PP, on the season and made a great read sliding down to the open slot for the shot. Schneider loves being the trailer, as seen by several of his career goals. Hopefully, this marker gets his game going.
3) Lafreniere - what I loved about the goal, besides the score, was how Laf got himself in position for the shot. Plus, and even more important, no hesitation on the release. The read, delay and pass from Artemi Panarin, who extended his point streak to seven, was sublime. But the tally by Laf shows the level of confidence he has.
4) Third line - as noted above, I thought Wheeler had his best game of the season by far. Will Cuylle had a goal taken off the boards by a horrible review. On the ice, the ruling was a goal. No distinct kicking motion, yet the goal was overturned. Yet, against Calgary last year, the one below was allowed. The only consistent thing about the NHL offices is a lack of consistency.
Kicked goals were disallowed for fear of injury. To disallow all goals off skates would remove complete incidental contact. I am not sure the right answer, but how Cuylle's goal was and Calgary's goal wasn't a distinct kicking motion makes absolutely no sense.
5) Oilers - I thought Edmonton carried play a bit in the first and in the second and made a little push in the third. No surprise, without Connor McDavid, they are a shell of what they usually are. But down 3-0, with a power play and just under three minutes left, how do you not pull the goalie to get a 6-on-4? It's almost like they quit and threw in the towel, making the booing from their fanbase justified.
New York Rangers Blogger • 
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