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The Rangers have almost made it through the three games Artemi Panarin will miss due to COVID-19 unscathed, the last coming Thursday against the Golden Knights. In fact, they’ve done so without much scoring trouble, putting up four goals apiece against the Lightning and Oilers, respectively.
In large part, that’s thanks to a second line that has, on short notice, clicked.
Alexis Lafreniere, Ryan Strome and Barclay Goodrow played 11:28 together at even strength against Edmonton on Monday, per Natural Stat Trick. The group accounted for three of the Rangers’ four goals. This, despite it being only their second game together.
“I played with Goody a little bit this year and Laffy last year so there’s a little familiarity,” Strome said following the game. “Honestly they’re very easy to play with, Goodrow just does all the right things all over the ice. He’s so responsible, he’s such an underrated player. The way he sees the game and reads the play. He’s got a great stick, he breaks up a lot of plays and he’s got underrated skill.
“Obviously Laffy, you see the playmaking tonight and the ability. He made so many great plays tonight that could’ve resulted in some more points for himself.”
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All three scored on Monday, displaying more than a passing familiarity with each other. When Strome beat Mikko Koskinen to a dumped-in puck behind Edmonton’s net early in the game, he saw Lafreniere coming off the bench and “screaming for it.”
“I just wanted to go to the net, honestly,” Lafreniere, who buried Strome’ss pass, said. “You see the puck go in deep. Stromer has the chance to get it. I just try to go to the net and good things happen when you go there. Nice pass by him and an empty net.”
The chance to move up into the top six, even if only temporarily, has been fruitful for Lafreniere. Rangers coach Gerard Gallant noted his confidence, which has gone up in correlation with the increased ice time.
“Defensively he blocks shots, he’s finishing checks,” Gallant said. “But he’s getting scoring chances and creating scoring chances.”
Lafreniere admitted that more time has been good for him. He notices his feet moving more, and the puck staying on his stick longer.
“They know how to play the right way,” he said of Strome and Goodrow. “It’s good for me to learn from them. They seem to find me in good spots so I can shoot the puck.”
Asked about the Rangers’ strong defense the last two games, Strome admitted it was cliche, but attributed it to buy-in.
“I think it’s our D playing hard, our goalie’s playing good, our forwards not turning the puck over as much,” he said. “Just trying to protect the middle of the ice.”
The Rangers last played the Golden Knights in Las Vegas over two years ago, on Dec. 8, 2019. They won that game 5-0, with Panarin and Strome both getting two points.
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