Winners, losers from Rangers huge overtime win against Wild
After losing four straight games (0-2-2), the New York Rangers bounced back with a huge overtime win against the Minnesota Wild, 3-2 at Xcel Energy Center on Thursday. In doing so, the Rangers picked up two massive points to tie the Columbus Blue Jackets for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference; each team has 70 points, and Columbus has a game in hand.
That sets up an extremely important game against the Blue Jackets on Saturday night in Columbus, with a vital four-point swing on the line, and the chance to right their wrongs after a 7-3 loss to them on home ice last Sunday.
The game Thursday was just about as ‘must-win’ as it could get for the Rangers, who did a great job of reinserting themselves into the playoff mix since the turn of the New Year, but dug a slight hole over the past four games earning only two points and losing to a couple teams competing for the same wild-card spots. They got the job done in overtime, earning that ever-so important extra point, and breaking their four-game skid.
So, lets take a look at the winners and losers from the overtime victory Thursday.
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Winner – Braden Schneider – Rangers
Of course, Braden Schneider has to lead us off as the big winner of the night. When the Rangers were in dire need of an extra point and an overtime win, Schneider came up with a highlight reel play. He walked in from the point, made a slick toe drag around Minnesota’s Brock Faber, and roofed it on the backhand over the glove of Filip Gustavsson. And he followed it up with a pretty sweet celly, too.
Winner – Brock Faber – Wild
While he may have been beat by Schneider for the OT winner, you have to give respect to Faber for his efforts this game. The Wild went down to five defensemen early on after Jon Merrill exited with injury, and Faber stepped up big time. He logged a whopping 29:42 TOI, and was a force at each end of the ice. He’s skated 27 minutes or more in each of their past four games, and was a beast again on Thursday.
Loser – Special teams – Rangers
Though the Rangers provided a better effort at even strength, outscoring the Wild 2-0 5v5 and 1-0, of course, in OT at 3v3, their special teams weren’t great. The power play continued to struggle, 0-for-3 on the night. It’s now 1-for-18 in the past six games and 2-for-27 in nine. On the other side, the solid Rangers PK allowed each of the Wild’s goals and finished 2-for-4.
Winner – Will Cuylle – Rangers
After being moved up to play alongside Vincent Trocheck and Artemi Panarin, Will Cuylle was a force with a game-high seven hits and four shots on goal. It’s possible that he’s exactly what that line needs, as opposed to Alexis Lafreniere, who has struggled this season and hasn’t scored a goal in 14 games. Cuylle also chipped in with a primary assist on New York’s first goal from Trocheck, providing a nice touch pass in the slot.
Winner – Jonny Brodzinski – Rangers
Jonny Brodzinski provided a huge goal and big moment in front of 60 friends and family in his home state of Minnesota. His goal gave New York a 2-1 lead in the third period, a gorgeous snipe off the rush that beat Gustavsson over the glove. While Brodzinski may be more of a filler in the lineup, there’s no denying his passion for the game, and his emotion was palpable after the goal, his seventh of the season.
Loser – Columbus Blue Jackets
It was not a good night for the Blue Jackets. They were shut out by the Vegas Golden Knights at home, 4-0, and now have lost four of their past five games (1-4-0). They’ve allowed 21 goals in those five games, and lost two straight after their rousing win at MSG this past Sunday. With the Rangers grabbing two points with their OT win, the Blue Jackets are once again tied for the final wild-card spot in the East, though they have a game in hand on the Rangers. That’s a critical game Saturday between the Rangers and Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena.
