SAINT PAUL, Minn. — The final time Ok’Andre Miller was on the Xcel Vitality Middle ice, the Rangers defenseman was 9 years previous and his mother shocked him with a birthday trip on the Zamboni.
Earlier than that, Miller participated in a “Skate with the Wild” occasion when he was 5. He grew up a fan of the Wild.
Miller, now 22, will compete in his first recreation as an NHL participant in his hometown in opposition to the crew he grew up rooting for on Tuesday when the Rangers play the Wild within the second recreation of their four-city street journey. After his rookie season in 2020-21 was shortened to 56 video games and with solely intra-division play, Miller by no means obtained his homecoming recreation.
“It’s been slightly bit,” Miller mentioned with amusing after the Rangers observe on Monday. “However I’m very excited, I've a variety of household and pals popping out. So it needs to be a extremely enjoyable expertise.”
Previously couple months, Miller has discovered a groove on each side of the puck. He's placing extra pucks on internet and discovering alternative ways to contribute offensively. Enjoying with extra confidence than he has since becoming a member of the Rangers final season, Miller has head coach Gerard Gallant trying on the crew’s high two defensive pairs as interchangeable.
“He’s at all times skated effectively, however I feel he’s simply extra comfy making his reads,” Jacob Trouba mentioned of his defensive associate. “He’s undoubtedly blossoming into his personal. It’s good to see. He works actually arduous. He dedicates a variety of effort and time to getting higher, and he’s being rewarded for it. He needs to be.”
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Added Chris Kreider: “I don’t assume he has any thought how good he might be — and might be.”
Goalie Igor Shesterkin was named the NHL’s third star of the week after turning apart 106 of the 111 photographs he’s confronted up to now week.
“We speak about it after a variety of video games, I get slightly pissed off at instances even once we win,” Gallant mentioned of the overreliance on Shesterkin. “The extra photographs he will get, the higher he's. He’s comfy with the best way his recreation is taking part in. Don’t get me mistaken, I don’t need 42 photographs, 27 or 28 could be excellent and a superb quantity to get by means of. However I simply assume the man’s assured and he will get his work. He’s targeted on each shot. I obtained no situation with us successful hockey video games and him taking part in nice goaltending.
“The one situation I obtained is a few of these breakaways, we’re giving up too many breakaways at instances and too many actual grade-A probabilities in a pair video games. However for probably the most half, Igor has simply been stable and our goaltending all 12 months has been main our group.”
After a overview by the NHL, it was decided that on the Rangers’ fourth purpose of their 4-1 win over the Jets in Winnipeg on Sunday the puck didn't make contact with Mika Zibanejad. The purpose is now credited to Trouba, who now leads all Rangers defensemen with 9 this season.
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