Rangers ease Arthur Kaliyev into first game of season against Devils, unlikely hero comes up big
Anyone hoping for an explosive New York Rangers debut from Arthur Kaliyev ended up with the complete opposite in Thursday night’s thrilling 3-2 overtime win over the New Jersey Devils.
While he didn’t do anything wrong, he didn’t do much of anything at all. Kaliyev earned just 8:31 of ice time in the win, registered no points, no shots on goal, and wasn’t on the ice for any of the five goals scored between the two teams.
But there’s no need to panic. This was Kaliyev’s first game of the season and first taste of NHL action since April 3. He fractured his clavicle in training camp heading into 2024-25, and played five games in the American Hockey League as a conditioning stint before being acquired by the Rangers. It may take time for him to find his game again.
“It’s good to get him in there,” head coach Peter Laviolette said postgame. “Kaliyev has been out a long time with an injury, so I think it’s going to take a minute for him to get up to speed. He can skate, he can move the puck. It was a good day one for him and I’m sure he’ll look to build on that.”
Giving Kaliyev time to build chemistry and trusting him to log decent minutes is the best course of action for now. Having him fill in while Filip Chytil is out with injury is also a big help, and it makes up for some of the depth the Rangers lost in the latter’s absence.
Related: 3 Rangers takeaways after solid effort produces 3-2 overtime win against Devils
Sam Carrick plays hero for Rangers against Devils
Of all the players to find themselves on an overtime two-on-one with the puck on their stick and a wide open net, Sam Carrick may have been the most surprising option. But he made no mistake of firing home a one-timer off a slick feed from Reilly Smith after a huge defensive stop for the Rangers turned into the game-winner.
“I think I might’ve blacked out, to be honest with you,” Carrick said. “We didn’t have the puck for very much that shift, just waiting for the opportunity to put some pressure on them. Three on three is a different game so, once we did get the puck back I just tried to get up the ice and give Smith an option and he made a great pass.”
Carrick was rewarded with a shift in the extra frame after a very impressive game and a recent great stretch of play. Against the Devils, he logged three shots on goal and 15:01 of ice time, his second-highest of the season. It was his second tally in the last four contests.
“It was awesome,” Laviolette said. “He doesn’t usually get out there that much, and there’s players that sometimes take more reps. But with (Chytil) out of the lineup, and tracking who they were sending over the boards at that time, I just made a switch at the end real quick and put (Carrick) out there. He’s played some really good hockey for us lately. He’s been on the attack offensively, he hits, and he does a lot of the dirty work in the defensive zone. When a guy like that scores a goal you’re really happy for him, and obviously a big goal for our team, but a big goal for him as well.”
Carrick, along with Adam Edstrom and Matt Rempe, created a very effective fourth line. Edstrom logged 9:01 while Rempe earned 7:47 in his first game back with the Rangers after serving an eight-game suspension.
The trio did exactly what they’re supposed to do in a big game against a division rival: shut-down defense, big hits, and heavy forechecking. Oh, and a sweet overtime winner to send the Madison Square Garden crowd to its feet.
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