Brennan Othmann impresses in Rangers’ 5-2 preseason win against Bruins
Brennan Othmann did a little bit of everything Thursday to help the New York Rangers remain undefeated in the preseason with a 5-2 win against the Boston Bruins at Madison Square Garden.
The 21-year-old forward, playing in his third straight preseason game, scored his first goal, recorded his first assist and was a major pest, annoying the Bruins all night. All of this came on the heels of an admittedly subpar showing in a 6-4 win against the Islanders on Tuesday.
Chris Kreider also had a goal and an assist to help the Rangers improve to 3-0-0 in preseason play. Newcomer Reilly Smith added an assist, and goalie Jonathan Quick played the first two periods, allowing two goals on 12 shots.
Brandon Bussi, a Long Island native, went the distance between the pipes for the Bruins, who dropped to 1-2-0, with both losses to the Rangers. Bussi made 28 saves.
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New York Rangers 5 – Boston Bruins 2
The Rangers scored once early and twice late in the first period to jump out to a 3-1 lead. Adam Fox scored a 5-on-3 power-play goal at 7:31 following a tic-tac-toe sequence involving Filip Chytil and Kreider to make it 1-0. Chytil cranked a slap shot that generated a rebound directly to Kreider in front. Kreider quickly slid a pass to Fox on left wing, and the defenseman didn’t miss the gaping wide-open net.
A Fox turnover in the neutral zone, however, led directly to the tying goal at 14:44. Morgan Geekie took the puck away and found forward prospect Brett Harrison on left wing. Harrison made a slick move and beat Quick for his first preseason goal.
Before the period ended, the Rangers scored twice in a span of 1:20 to carry a 3-1 lead into the first intermission. Kreider neatly deflected a Jacob Trouba shot past Bussi at 18:05 for his third preseason goal, and Othmann scored on a breakaway at 19:25 following a Nikita Zadorov turnover.
Othmann’s strong showing continued when he won a battle behind the goal line and made a quick slick feed in front to set up a Jonny Brodzinski goal at 5:22 of the second. Brodzinski’s first shot was stopped, but he buried the rebound; his first preseason goal put the Rangers up 4-1.
The scoring play started back in the Rangers own end when rookie Victor Mancini broke up a play and quickly turned the puck back up ice. Adam Erne, in camp on a PTO, also assisted on Brodzinski’s goal, in his first game this preseason.
Before Quick’s night ended, the Bruins added another goal. Mark Kastelic was credited with the score at 13:28 after his tip beat Quick.
Three minutes later, Kastelic drilled Rangers defenseman Connor Mackey with a hit in the corner and the pair dropped their gloves, each receiving a five-minute fighting major.
Louis Domingue replaced Quick to start the third period and was terrific, stopping all 12 shots he faced, including several Grade-A chances. The Rangers also killed off two power plays in the third period before Adam Edstrom hit the open net for his second preseason goal in as many games, this one with 2:03 left to play.
The Rangers next preseason game is Monday against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center, the start of a home-and-home set that concludes Tuesday at The Garden.
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