Alexis Lafreniere didn’t light the lamp Sunday, but he showed the Rangers exactly why they still trust his game.
In New York’s 4-2 home win over the Utah Mammoth, Lafreniere was everywhere in transition. He kept slipping behind the defense, creating breakaway chances and clean looks off the rush, and by the end of the night he had led the Rangers with four shots on goal and nine shot attempts. The finishing touch just wasn’t there.
“I think when ‘Laf’ is at his best, he has the puck a lot, and he had the puck a lot tonight,” coach Mike Sullivan said after the game. “When he’s skating, he has such good offensive instincts, he has the ability to get behind defensemen. He had a lot of looks off the rush, and that’s one of the strengths of his game.
“I’d like to believe on most nights, if he gets those kids of looks, one of them is going to go in. Their goalie, give him credit, he had some pretty good saves. We had some pretty good looks off the rush, whether it be breakaways or 2-on-1s.”
Lafreniere is still looking for his first goal of the season through four games, but he did pick up his first assist Sunday. That came on Gabe Perreault’s goal, with the play set up after Utah goalie Karel Vejmelka denied one of Lafreniere’s break-ins 3:15 into the third period and the rebound found Perreault.
He also came inches from scoring in the first period, when he ripped a power-play shot off the crossbar.
The bigger picture for New York is encouraging. Lafreniere’s speed through the neutral zone and his ability to attack off the rush have become a real part of what he brings, and Sunday was his sharpest game of the season so far.
He picked his spots well against a fast Mammoth team and repeatedly turned up ice in transition. For a Rangers group that has looked quicker in transition early this season, that matters.
There’s also the other side of the puck, and Sullivan made sure to point that out too. Late in the third period, with Utah pressing on a 6-on-5, Lafreniere blocked a shot from Dylan Guenther to help protect the lead.
“I thought he had a strong game on both sides of the puck,” Sullivan stated. “I mean, the blocked shot on [Dylan] Guenther at the end of the game with a 6-on-5, for me, I couldn’t be any more proud of him. I just think moments like that are an indication of players’ mindsets and where they’re at.”
Even without a goal, Lafreniere has his coach’s backing, and the Rangers have won three straight heading into Tuesday’s home game against the Islanders.
New York also had to deal with an injury on Sunday, losing fourth-line center Joe Veleno to a lower-body issue. The team is still waiting for an update on his condition.
Elsewhere around the Rangers beat, Lou Orlando has the full game recap from the win over Utah, and there’s more on the key takeaways from the victory, including Sean Durzi’s bragging rights in Vincent Trocheck’s MSG retun.
Steven Voogel also has a look at prospect Cole Beaudoin’s pro debut, which helped Hartford open its AHL season with a win over Lehigh Valley.
Around the NHL, pending UFA Alex DeBrincat is reportedly open to staying with the Detroit Red Wings, but only at a major price tag, with David Pagnotta reporting he’s seeking somewhere in the range of $12 million to $14 million per season.
The Red Wings’ rough start remains a problem, while Brad Marchand returned to the Panthers after offseason surgery and scored late to force overtime in a 3-2 loss to the Anaheim Ducks. The Vancouver Canucks, meanwhile, are feeling good after starting 2-2-0 despite a demanding opening stretch against several strong teams.
In Other News...
Rangers Are Building Something At MSG And Fans Can Feel It
Madison Square Garden had a little extra edge to it Friday night, and the Rangers fed off it. New York beat the Utah Mammoth 4-2 behind Igor Shesterkin, who stopped 27 shots and even picked up an assist, while the club closed strong with three third-period goals to turn a tight game into another convincing home result. Utah did get a power-play goal, but the Rangers kept their composure and found a way to finish on the right side of a game that felt like more than just another regular-season date on the calendar.
Vincent Trochecks return to the Garden added another layer to the night, with the former Ranger now skating for Utah after the trade that sent him out of New York. The matchup had the kind of familiar faces and late-game urgency that can make a building buzz, and the Rangers looked like a team comfortable playing in that atmosphere. For a club trying to keep building momentum at home, it was the sort of win that gives fans a reason to believe there is something taking shape at MSG. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Suddenly Have A Center Depth Problem They Can't Ignore
Joe Velenos night ended almost as soon as it began against the Utah Mammoth, and the Rangers were left sorting through the fallout of a lower-body injury that came early in the first period. Veleno was hurt while trying to slow down a Mammoth forward and needed help off the ice before being ruled out for the rest of the game, an abrupt exit for a team that has leaned on its center depth to keep things steady.
The concern for New York goes beyond one lost shift because the roster does not currently feature an extra center. If Velenos injury keeps him out longer than just one game, the Rangers may have to look to Hartford for reinforcements, turning a single in-game injury into a depth problem they cant really afford to let linger. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Win At MSG Came With One Immediate Concern
The Rangers got the kind of result they needed at Madison Square Garden, beating the Utah Mammoth 4-2 in a game that had plenty of scoring and just enough pushback to keep the crowd engaged. Vladislav Gavrikov, Gabe Perreault, J.T. Miller and Eeli Tolvanen all found the net for New York, while Nick Schmaltz and Andrew Peeke answered for Utah, giving the home side a win that looked comfortable enough on the surface.
Joe Velenos exit was the immediate concern, though, and it cast a shadow over an otherwise productive night. Veleno was hurt in the first period and had to leave the game, a development the Rangers will be watching closely as they sort through what the result means and what the next lineup decision might have to be. [Read more 🡒]