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They have not been close to the top for a while, so the Rangers will have to demonstrate their worth over and over again in order to convince skeptics and maybe at times even themselves that they belong.
So this weekend that bridged 2021 and 2022 over which the Blueshirts went two-for-two against the two-time defending Cup champion Lightning surely reinforced this team’s status and confidence.
And even better that they were able to do so with considerable pieces missing from their lineup, with Artemi Panarin joining Ryan Lindgren on the COVID list for Sunday’s 4-0 dominating victory over Tampa Bay at the Garden that followed Friday’s 4-3 shootout triumph down south.
“It’s a really good team to kind of measure what we’re made of,” Mika Zibanejad said after recording his sixth hat trick over the last three seasons that included a pair of power-play goals within the opening 12:37. “We want to play these types of games, we want to play against this type of opponent and I think we showed it to ourselves that we can play with them.”
We won’t know until perhaps May or June just how good these 21-8-4 Rangers truly are but they are establishing a foundation for success just about every day. Yes, the Blueshirts received — and probably required — an outstanding game in nets from Igor Shesterkin to win this one in such style, but teams never owe anyone an apology for having a superior goaltender.
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The Rangers have played three straight without Lindgren, who could clear protocols for Monday night’s Broadway matchup against Connor McDavid and the Oilers, but then again, might not. They will be without Panarin for a minimum of two more matches. And it is unknown when Patrik Nemeth, sidelined for “a personal issue” for this one, will rejoin the lineup.
But rather than bemoaning their fate, the Rangers embraced the moment. Alexis Lafreniere moved up to the second unit with Ryan Strome in the middle and Barclay Goodrow on the right and turned in an encouraging performance. Libor Hajek got a second shot as Adam Fox’s partner and did just fine in 17:14 of work. Zac Jones got into his first game of the year and partnered with Nils Lundkvist on the Smurf Pair that improved steadily as the game progressed.
“I think it speaks to a little bit of growth,” Fox said after a rather typical two-assist afternoon. “Not only did we beat a good team, we did a good job holding a lead that we got early. We’re going to have to do a lot more of that if we want to be respected around the league.”
Indeed, after scoring three goals in the first period for the first time this season after producing a total of one in the previous six games, the Blueshirts bookended it by limiting the Lightning to just nine shots and five scoring chances (Thanks, NaturalStatTrick) in the third period. They were stout and they were smart.
Zibanejad is off on one of his sprees, having scored six goals on 25 shots over his last five games. No. 93 ripped one up top on a rising rocket from the left circle at 7:44 of the first, got his second when his attempted diagonal feed to Kaapo Kakko was inadvertently redirected in by Ryan McDonagh’s stick at 12:37, and then completed the hat trick at five-on-five at 16:53 of the second period for the 4-0 lead by converting a sterling setup from Chris Kreider.
“I never said it didn’t feel good to score,” said the Swede, who somehow had posted only four goals in his first 25 games. “As long as we win it doesn’t really matter [whether I score], but at the end of the day I feel like I have that role to produce.”
The Rangers have been relatively fortunate thus far in avoiding the COVID-related decimation of the roster that multiple teams have endured. This bit of adversity gives the organization a chance to survey its depth and its kids, a chance to see what Jones can do, to see how Hajek responds to more responsibility, to see what Lafreniere can do with a larger role after having played a season-low 8:47 in Tampa on New Year’s Eve.
This all will play into how general manager Chris Drury approaches the trade deadline.
“When you get some of your top players out of the lineup and some of the kids get a chance to step in, it’s a good thing for them and it’s a good chance for management to see them step up,” head coach Gerard Gallant said. “And it makes the coach feel a lot better when those guys go into a bigger role, that succeed.
“It was a big day for us.”
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