Speedy Rangers need to tighten up
NEW YORK - Playing with speed is the Rangers’ main objective, which is why all of their offseason acquisitions were players who can skate – whatever other attributes they brought (Brandon Pirri is a pure shooter; Michael Grabner and Josh Jooris penalty killers, for example).
The Rangers were among the fastest teams in the NHL when they went to the Stanley Cup Final in 2014 and when they won the Presidents’ Trophy and reached Game 7 of the Eastern final in 2015.
They had a fast lineup last season, too (though they really missed Carl Hagelin) but they couldn’t play a fast game because of their faulty play in the defensive zone, their poor decisions with the puck, and their effort and execution through the neutral zone.
So this season it became Job 1, and through three games their speed has been eye-popping. It doesn’t hurt that Chris Kreider, perhaps their best (and certainly most powerful) skater has had a blazing start, and that J.T. Miller has gotten out of the gate strongly, and that Mika Zibanejad is an upgrade over Derick Brassard, who didn’t move his feet nearly enough last season.
The result so far was a 2-1 start in which the Rangers’ most complete game might have been the one loss, in St. Louis Saturday.
The Rangers were home against Detroit Wednesday, then will visit Washington Saturday.
That all said about their speed, record and overall play, though, the Rangers have to iron out some of the issues that come with playing fast, and that is the inevitable trading of odd-man rushes when turnovers are committed (or when shots are blocked or miss nets with players deep in the offensive zone).
That’s why Kreider and Zibanejad, as good as they’ve been, have been on the ice for six even-strength goals by opponents in three games as the Rangers had to sweat out comfortable third-period leads that turned into late nail-biters, including Monday’s game against San Jose, a 5-2 lead that quickly became 5-4 and ended up a 7-4 win after two empty-net goals.
“We know teams are going to surge when they are down and I think in certain areas we’re still trying to work on and make sure that we don’t get hurt like that as we continue here,” Rangers captain Ryan McDonagh said. “But that (San Jose) is a team with some skill and we gave them a couple of looks there late and they capitalized. But like I said, we continue to try and make plays when we can and come out of our zone. We obviously scored enough goals tonight.”
After the game against San Jose Monday, Rangers coach Alain Vigneault was asked if his team can maintain the pace of play it displayed in the first three games.
“I’m hoping we’re going to get better,” he said. “If you’re going to get into the playoffs you have to be one of those teams that continues to improve … some teams improve and some teams don’t improve and fade away, and we need to be one of those teams that continues to improve.”
Notebook: Defenseman Kevin Klein (back strain) made his season debut after missing the first two, so Dylan McIlrath was scratched – no surprise there since he played two shifts for :46 after taking a needless penalty Monday .... Dan Girardi (groin) is expected to resume skating Thursday and could be available for Saturday’s game in Washington. …
Rookie winger Pavel Buchnevich remained out with back spasms, and Oscar Lindberg is still on injured reserve recovering from hip surgery, hoping to return in November. …
Henrik Lundqvist, given the night off Monday, was back in goal …
McDonagh became a daddy for the first time Tuesday when his wife, Kaylee, gave birth to a daughter, Falan Erin. “She'll be the first thing on my mind as soon as I step out of the rink,” the captain said.