Mika Zibanejad gave the Rangers exactly the kind of lift they needed in Calgary, scoring twice in a 3-1 win over the Flames after New York’s road trip had been interrupted by a loss to the Edmonton Oilers.
The first period didn’t offer much for either side. Chances were limited, the pace stayed tight, and the teams went to the intermission locked in a 0-0 game. New York didn’t create a flood of offense early, but the second period changed the feel of the night.
Zibanejad, who has not piled up goals at the same rate he did last season, broke through with a little help from the hockey gods. Skating down just past the net, he appeared to be trying to push the puck back toward the crease, but it caromed off Devin Cooley and into the net. That gave him his fourth goal of the season, with Alexis Lafreniere and Marcus Pettersson picking up the assists.
That opening goal seemed to unlock something for him. Later in the period, Zibanejad struck again on the power play for his second goal of the night and fifth of the season.
The Rangers’ man advantage had been a point of need, and they made quick work of their second chance. Pavel Dorofeyev sent a strong pass across the ice, and Zibanejad finished the one-timer.
Lafreniere added his second assist of the game on the play.
New York carried a 2-0 lead into the third, but Calgary wasn’t done. The Flames answered on the power play when Adam Klapka scored his fourth of the season, trimming the Rangers’ lead to 2-1.
Ryan Strome and Yegor Sharangovich were credited with the assists. It was a tough moment for a penalty kill unit that has otherwise been one of the league’s best.
From there, the Flames kept pressing and forced Joonas Korpisalo and the Rangers to absorb a heavy push in the third period. New York held firm, though, and with the net empty, Tye Kartye put the game away with seconds left, finishing off an assist from J.T. Miller.
The Rangers will try to keep things rolling Friday night against the Vancouver Canucks.
In Other News...
Brennan Othmann Just Reopened A Rangers Debate Fans Never Settled
Brennan Othmann has put the Rangers back in a familiar conversation, one that tends to linger whenever a young player leaves New York with unfinished business. The former first-round pick has publicly made clear he was unhappy with the opportunities he got in New York, saying he felt his chances were not the same as what other players received, and that kind of frustration always lands differently when it comes from a prospect the organization once hoped would grow into more.
Since moving on to Calgary, Othmann has shown a little more offense, but the broader picture still looks unsettled. His production has trended downward from his junior days into the pro ranks, and while there has been some slight improvement with the Flames, he has yet to make a major imprint in games, leaving the Rangers with one more reminder of how quickly the debate around development can turn from internal patience to public second-guessing. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Are Betting On An Unproven Goalie Plan To Hold Up
Igor Shesterkins season-ending lower-body injury forced the Rangers into a goaltending reset they did not plan on, and for now the team has leaned on a rookie-veteran pairing to keep things afloat. Dylan Garand has been thrust into a much larger role than anyone expected, while Joonas Korpisalo has been part of the mix as New York tries to navigate the stretch without its No. 1 goalie.
The unusual setup has not derailed the Rangers ability to stay in the race, which is why the early returns have mattered so much. Head coach Mike Sullivan has said he believes the two can share the workload and keep the team competitive, and the bigger question now is whether this makeshift plan can hold up long enough to matter when the schedule tightens. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Are Getting Far Less Respect Than Their Start Deserves
The Rangers have spent the first stretch of the season proving they can hang around the top of the Metropolitan Division even without Igor Shesterkin, and the early results have them sitting in a playoff position if the season ended today. At 10-8-1, they have done enough to stay relevant in a crowded race, which makes the outside view of their start look a little harsh.
One recent NHL power ranking had New York all the way down at 20th, a placement that does not quite line up with where the standings say they belong. For a team trying to stay afloat without its star goalie, the gap between perception and production is becoming part of the story, and it will be worth watching whether the Rangers can keep forcing the conversation back to the ice. [Read more 🡒]