The dual absences of Kaapo Kakko and Filip Chytil during the last 5 video games at first merely served to show the Rangers’ lack of top-six-type depth. However these days it has created a possibility for Alexis Lafreniere to get constant ice time with massive canines Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider.
Greater than that, Lafreniere’s response implies that president and basic supervisor Chris Drury can bide his time approaching the March 21 commerce deadline in his quest to strengthen the highest six, which thereby would additionally strengthen the underside of the order. There isn't any want for panic within the entrance workplace.
The Rangers recorded certainly one of their most notable victories on this spectacular prebreak portion of the season by defeating the ferocious Panthers from Florida — Puddy Tats no extra — 5-2 on the Backyard on Tuesday night time to enter their two-week recess with a staggering 30-13-4 document.
There was a mix of finesse and energy because the Blueshirts each strutted their ability and greater than stood their floor on this match between upper-echelon golf equipment that grew feistier and testier from begin to end. The Rangers stood up for themselves and for each other. They refused to be pushed round. On the ice and on the scoreboard, the Rangers received push-back.
They trailed 2-1 early within the second interval following a gap interval by which the Panthers swept out of their very own finish, by means of the impartial zone and into the Rangers’ finish as they happy, whereas the Blueshirts’ offense was none-and-done with none down low sport or containment.
However the Rangers tied it 2-2 at 3:27 of the second when Lafreniere sniffed round in entrance, took a feed from Kreider and beat Spencer Knight on a whirling backhand for his second aim in two video games and tenth of the season. Kreider received the primary of his two power-play objectives earlier than the interval ended and the Blueshirts had been on their method.
And maybe Lafreniere is also on his method as a top-six staple after a passel of false begins his first year-plus. This was his third straight sport up prime with Kreider and Zibanejad. The Rangers anticipate Kakko (unidentified upper-body damage) to be prepared when the season resumes on Feb. 15 with a Backyard match towards the Bruins, so it's actually attainable that each of the Pingpong Ball Twins might be within the prime six for that one. That, you'll recall, is the best way the membership had envisioned it when camp started.
“I see him studying and coming to grasp the form of participant he must be as a way to be efficient on the NHL degree,” stated Kreider, who leads the league with 33 objectives. “He’s received unbelievable imaginative and prescient, nice palms, hockey IQ, I don’t assume he’s assured sufficient in his shot — he’s received a fantastic shot. He’s a really robust skater by way of his edges and I feel he’s solely going to get quicker.
“I feel the sky is the restrict for him. He’s a younger child studying who he's as a hockey participant. It’s so cool seeing him enhance week-by-week and day-by-day.”
All of Lafreniere’s objectives have come at five-on-five. Solely 30 gamers have scored as many as 10 objectives at five-on-five. Past that, Lafreniere left the ice ranked thirty first within the NHL with 1.13 five-on-five objectives per 60:00 amongst gamers with at the very least 500 minutes. There are 32 groups within the league. Mathematically, he matches into top-six class.
There's, after all, extra to the sport than that. Drury could certainly choose to accumulate a extra bodily, harder-edged and extra skilled winger to fill out the Zibanejad line so the Rangers will likely be extra ready for the playoff grind. However the Rangers can afford to permit Lafreniere to develop on this function. They've time earlier than they strike. And maybe Lafreniere will maintain that task and refuse to yield it.
“Positively he’s getting extra confidence,” stated head coach Gerard Gallant, the person who devises the road combos and doles out the minutes. “Once more, I talked to him on the bench tonight, there have been a few shifts he was simply too informal on the puck within the impartial zone.
“However most elements of his sport are getting actual good. He’s enjoying good defensive hockey, he’s assured within the offensive zone with the puck. He’s simply received to be robust on the puck within the impartial zone as a result of that’s what we discuss with younger gamers. They flip it over and it’s going the opposite method. He can’t try this towards a fantastic staff like that. However he’s enjoying good and he’s working arduous.
“I’m proud of the best way he’s going.”
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