Three takeaways from the Rangers' win over the Seattle Kraken
Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick stops a shot from Seattle Kraken center Jaden Schwartz during the third period of an NHL game Sunday in Seattle. Credit: AP/Lindsey Wasson
VANCOUVER – The Rangers opened their season-long, four-game road trip to the Pacific Northwest and Alberta with a 2-0 win Sunday in Seattle. It was the team’s second straight win, and goaltender Jonathan Quick’s second consecutive shutout. Here are 3 takeaways from Sunday’s win.
1. The backup goalie is really, really good
Quick earned his 397th career win and his 62nd shutout, and he has played 128 minutes and five seconds since allowing his last goal.
Quick is now 4-0-0, with a goals-against average of 0.91, and a save percentage of .970. Everyone knows that most every night, the Rangers will have the advantage over their opponents at the goaltender position, with Igor Shesterkin in net. But obviously, there’s no letdown when Quick is playing, either.
2. The team, overall, is playing better, too, though
“Yeah, for sure,’’ defenseman K’Andre Miller said after the game. “I think defensively, for sure. I think we're just playing a little bit smarter, we're playing more connected. We're working as a group of five to get the puck out of the (defensive) zone and sustain pressure against their offense. So I think we're doing a really good job of just kind of containing them, keeping their shots the outside, making sure our goalie sees the pucks.’’
Miller said the team came to the realization that it simply had to be better defensively, and its play seemed to pick up, ironically, beginning with a 6-3 loss to Winnipeg last Tuesday. Against the league’s best team (the Jets were 14-1 coming in) the Rangers had more shots on goal, more shot attempts, more scoring chances overall, and more high-danger chances.
If the improved play keeps up, the Rangers have a chance to have a nice road trip. The remaining games are against Vancouver (9-5-3), Calgary (9-6-3) and Edmonton (9-7-2 entering Monday’s game in Montreal). Vancouver is 5-4-1 in its last 10; Calgary is 4-4-2, and Edmonton is 6-3-1, but will be without defenseman Darnell Nurse for a week or longer after he took a hit to the head from Toronto forward Ryan Reaves, who got suspended for five games.
3. The turnaround wasn’t because coach Peter Laviolette changed his forward lines and defense pairs after the Winnipeg game
Laviolette said it was more just part of the natural ups and downs within a season. And, he said, he’ll probably change the lines and defense pairs more often this season than he did last.
“That'll go on through the course of the year,’’ he said. “You know, last year (where the lines mostly stayed together and the defense pairs never changed except for injury) was the most stable it's ever been… I do like that. But again, the product (has to) work. The way we're playing, what you're seeing, has to work. And then the result has to follow. And if it doesn't, then you can't stay with something too long. Even if you think it's right, it's not right. You’ve got to move it. ‘’
Blue lines: Laviolette had no update Monday on the status of injured center Filip Chytil, who remained in New York with an upper-body injury. “He’s still being evaluated by doctors,’’ Laviolette said.
Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
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