The Rangers had a 3-0 lead Friday night when forward Dryden Hunt was charged with a double-minor high-sticking penalty toward the end of the first period, but their trade deadline acquisitions kept the penalty kill units fresh and prevented any possible momentum shift.
Head coach Gerard Gallant considered the four-minute penalty kill to be a turning point in the Rangers’ 5-1 win over the Penguins at the Garden. Pittsburgh mustered just two shots on goal, while new Rangers forward Tyler Motte put one on Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry despite being down a player.
The Rangers’ penalty kill hadn’t been its usual source of energy in recent games, but it certainly was on Friday.
“That four-minute penalty kill was excellent,” Gallant said after the win, in which the Rangers killed off three of the Penguins’ four power plays. “We added some depth to our team and we added a few more penalty killers so the guys didn’t get tired out. That was huge for us, no doubt.”
Andrew Copp, who was acquired from the Jets on Monday, led all Rangers forwards with 3:17 of shorthanded ice time. Motte, the Rangers’ other trade deadline acquisition, who is expected to have a role on the penalty kill, logged an energetic 1:55 on the PK.
The Chris Kreider-Mika Zibanejad penalty-killing forward duo remained intact, while Copp lined up with Barclay Goodrow and Motte skated next to Ryan Strome.
“Especially against a team like that, they’re probably frustrated from that start that they had,” Zibanejad said. “The last four minutes of that period, getting that kill and keeping the momentum going into the second was big for us.”
Kaapo Kakko missed his 24th straight game and Kevin Rooney was sidelined for his 11th in a row, but Gallant said the two have been skating on their own.
The target for return is still early April for both forwards.
Alexis Lafreniere returned to his natural position at left wing of the third line next to Filip Chytil and Goodrow after a 20-game stretch with the top unit alongside Kreider and Zibanejad.
Frank Vatrano took Lafreniere’s place on the top unit, while Copp slotted onto the right-wing of Artemi Panarin and Strome. Motte, Jonny Brodzinski and Hunt comprised the fourth line.
Defenseman Justin Braun was scratched for the first time since the Rangers acquired him Monday. He played against the Devils, but was a healthy scratch in favor of rookie Braden Schneider on Friday. Schneider was back on the third pair with Patrik Nemeth.
“The kid sat out the other night and the kids played well for us,” Gallant said of why he scratched Braun. “It was just moving people around and we’re going to see. We’ve got 17 games left to find out what the best combinations are going to be. There might be some movement and it’s not all from poor play. It’s trying different options.”
Ryan Reaves was also scratched along with Libor Hajek, Julien Gauthier and Greg McKegg.