4 Takeaways From Rangers’ 5-3 Win Over the Penguins – The Hockey Writers New York Rangers Latest News, Analysis & More

After a horrible loss to the Buffalo Sabres, the New York Rangers had little time to regroup before facing the Pittsburgh Penguins, with less than 24 hours between start times. As the season winds down and the team remains outside of a playoff spot, the Rangers are officially in do-or-die mode. Despite their struggles, they secured a 5-3 victory, moving just two points behind the second wild card spot.

Game Recap

The two teams traded chances early. Sidney Crosby almost batted a scoring chance by Igor Shesterkin, but it went wide. The Penguins controlled play for the first ten minutes of the game and were rewarded when Evgeni Malkin tipped a whiffed shot by Cody Glass past Shesterkin, putting the Penguins up 1–0. Shortly after the goal, Matt Rempe was sent to the penalty box for interference—a decision which the Rangers bench clearly vehemently disagreed with. The Rangers killed off the penalty and had a shorthanded chance, but Reilly Smith could not finish. A minute after the Rangers killed off the penalty, Rempe drew a roughing penalty, giving the Rangers their first power play opportunity of the game. The first power play unit could not find a way to score, but then K’Andre Miller broke through the neutral zone and found Will Cuylle, who lasered a shot past Joel Blomqvist to tie the game at one, which is how the first period would end.

Early in the period, the Penguins came out firing on all cylinders. After keeping the Rangers hemmed in their own zone, Anthony Beauvillier drew a hooking call on Urho Vaakanainen, giving Pittsburgh their second power play of the game. This time, they had many high-danger chances, but the Rangers kept the puck out of their net and successfully killed off the penalty. Ten minutes into the period, the shots were 14–0 for the Penguins. With just over eight minutes remaining, Cuylle was sent to the penalty box for interfering with Rickard Rakell. The Rangers killed off the penalty again and were a perfect three-for-three on the penalty kill. The Rangers recorded their first shot of the second period with 4:49 to go.

With three minutes left, Adam Fox sent the puck up the boards, where it snuck past Pierre-Olivier Joseph, and J.T. Miller found it, skated into the zone, and ripped a shot past Blomqvist, giving the Rangers a 2–1 lead. After a period in which the Rangers were heavily outplayed, gave up two power play opportunities, and were outshot 19–4, they managed to come out of it with a 2–1 lead after J.T. Miller scored the only goal of the period.

Related: 5 Takeaways From Rangers’ Horrific 8-2 Loss to the Sabres

Immediately after the third period started, the Rangers decided that defense was optional and let Ryan Shea take an unpressured shot from the point, which beat Shesterkin, who never saw it because his own defenseman was screening him. Soon after, Shea got his second of the game on a weak floater that hit K’Andre Miller, who was inexplicably standing in front of the net. The team, being outshot 32–10, gave up the lead and then got scored on twice in two and a half minutes. Fifty seconds later, Jimmy Vesey, who has inexplicably been scratched for most of the season even though he shows more heart and hustle than most of the team, scored to tie the game. Surely he will stay in the lineup when Chris Kreider is healthy again; I would not hold my breath.

With eight and a half minutes to go, Adam Fox found himself alone in the slot and fired a wrist shot past Blomqvist, giving the Rangers the lead. The Penguins controlled play as the clock wound down, and Blomqvist was pulled for the extra attacker. After Will Cuylle’s three-quarters-ice shot attempt hit the post, the Penguins had a grade-A scoring chance, but Will Borgen saved it to keep the Rangers on top. After the Penguins had a few big chances, J.T. Miller scored the empty-netter with six seconds left to seal the two points for the Rangers.

Rangers Takeaways

1. A win is a win. This was not pretty for the Rangers—they were out-chanced, outshot, and outplayed—but they won the game. They now sit just two points out of a playoff spot. The Rangers need to be better, there is no question. They need to find ways to win. Today, they found a way, but the way they played will not cut it as the season continues to wind down.
2. The defense is horrible. They do not pressure the puck at the blue line and constantly surrender zone time to their opposition. That is not a winning strategy in the NHL. Unlike against Buffalo, Shesterkin stood on his head in this game, which ultimately gave the Rangers the win. There is no single player on the defense who has been particularly bad because they have all been bad. The saving grace is that four of the six defensemen on the team have proven in the past that they can play well, but they need to find their game if the Rangers are going to build on this win. Will Borgen bailed the defense out tonight, putting his body on the line to keep the puck out of the net late in the game. The Rangers need to show more of that and less of surrendering zone time and shots.
3. Goaltending is what the Rangers’ season will likely come down to, and quite frankly, that is not fair to Shesterkin or Jonathan Quick, who are constantly hung out to dry by the team’s defensive struggles. But when you sign an $11.5 million deal, it becomes your job to put the team on your back. Shesterkin did that tonight, and he will need to do it countless more times down the stretch.
4. The Rangers will have two days to rest before heading to Long Island to take on the Islanders on Tuesday night. As is the case with pretty much every game for the rest of the season, this is a must-win. The lineup should change from what it was tonight, it is time for Brennan Othmann to get a real chance before the trade deadline, or he should be traded. It has been four years since he was drafted, and he has only played four NHL games. Put him in the lineup on Tuesday. He has been hot recently in Hartford, and the Rangers need a spark.