Rangers Week Ahead: homestand continues, features youthful enthusiasm
The kids who’ve made the New York Rangers a lot more fun to watch recently hope to give fans at Madison Square Garden plenty more chances to cheer them on this week during Games 3 through 6 of a season-high seven-game homestand.
Goaltender Dylan Garand (first NHL win), forward Adam Sykora (two goals in his first three NHL games) and defenseman Drew Fortescue (an assist in his NHL debut) were the three stars Friday night when the Rangers ended a 0-5-1 slide by pummeling the Chicago Blackhawks 6-1. Sykora scored again and had his first NHL fight Sunday afternoon in a 3-1 win over the Florida Panthers, all but assuring that the two-time defending Stanley Cup champs will miss the playoffs.
The three newcomers and a host of other young players give the already-eliminated Rangers a shot of energy at a time when it’s much needed. Sykora in particular is already a favorite of his teammates and coach Mike Sullivan, who said the 21-year-old’s energy and enthusiasm are contagious.
“It’s hard not to like that guy,” Sullivan said. “The energy he exudes, I don’t think he’s ever had a bad day in his life.”
In all, the Rangers (30-35-9) dressed seven rookies against Florida — forwards Jaroslav Chmelar, Noah Laba, Gabe Perreault and Sýkora; defensemen Matthew Robertson and Fortescue – and Garand, who backed up Igor Shesterkin. It was the most since May 8, 2021.
“They’re all great kids, too,” 28-year-old defenseman Adam Fox remarked Sunday. “I mean, I’m not that old — yet — but you remember when you were coming in. They’ve been helping us win games, too, which is obviously the most important thing. But they’re bringing a great energy, too. It brings a spark to the locker room.
“I think it’s given us a little push, a little jolt, and you want to play well for them.”
Expect to see more of the kids this week and through the season’s final eight games.
Who’s Hot
Sykora impressed during his initial week in the NHL with goals in back-to-back games.
Who’s Not
Vladislav Gavrikov’s hot stick cooled off. His 14 goals are more than double his career high, but he’s pointless in his past five games.
Rangers lookahead this week includes …
Another stretch of four games in six days, though all four are at the Garden.
New Jersey Devils at Rangers (March 31, 7 p.m., MSG2/MSGSN)
Stop Jack Hughes!
That, in a nutshell, is what the Rangers must do to avoid being swept by both local rivals this season. They were 0-4-0 against the Islanders in a season series that ended before the Olympic break and are 0-2-0 against New Jersey, losing 6-3 in Newark on March 7 and by the same score at the Garden 11 days later.
Hughes had a hat trick and an assist in the first game and a goal and two assists in the win at MSG. He’s piled up 20 goals and 35 points in 25 career games against the Rangers, including nine goals and 15 points in the past five meetings. He’s missed more than a quarter of the season with injuries – unfortunately for the Rangers, he’s been healthy this month and is playing his best hockey of the season.
Mika Zibanejad scored in the loss on March 18 and has 17 goals and 43 points in 49 games against the Devils, who are all but certain to join the Rangers in the ranks of non-playoff teams in the near future.
Montreal Canadiens at Rangers (April 2, 7 p.m., MSG)
No team made the Rangers’ lives as miserable during their 100 seasons as the Canadiens. Montreal is 383-246-5 with 95 ties since the teams first faced each other in 1926-27. But the Rangers have been dominant during the past few seasons, 7-0-2 in their past nine meetings and 2-for-2 this season, including a 5-4 overtime win at the Garden on Dec. 13.
The Canadiens are at the end of a rebuild; they’re all but assured of making the playoffs for the second straight season and still have a shot at winning the Atlantic Division. Forward Cole Caufield (46 goals, 79 points), center Nick Suzuki (65 assists, 91 points) and defenseman Lane Hutson (62 assists, 73 points) are fueling the offense.
But, so far, Shesterkin has the Canadiens’ number; he’s 6-1-0 with a 2.26 goals-against average and .916 save percentage against Montreal.
Detroit Red Wings at Rangers (April 4, 12:30 p.m., ABC)
These Original Six rivals split two games in November, with the Rangers winning 4-1 in Detroit on Nov. 7 and the Red Wings taking home a 2-1 victory on Nov. 16.
The Red Wings were riding high in January, when they led the Atlantic Division and looked like a lock to end a playoff drought that extends back to 2016. But they struggled since mid-January, and are just 9-9-4 in their past 22 games and dropped out of the top eight in the Eastern Conference heading into a three-game trip against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Philadelphia Flyers and Rangers this week.
Shesterkin is 5-0-1 all-time against the Red Wings, though Jonathan Quick started against Detroit in both games earlier this season. Fox is a point-a-game player against the Red Wings (one goal, 15 assists in 16 games). The Rangers have done a good job against future Hall of Famer (and briefly teammate) Patrick Kane, who has seven goals and 21 points in 27 career games.
Washington Capitals at Rangers (April 5, 7 p.m., ESPN)
Is this Alex Ovechkin’s last game at MSG? Could be, since the 40-year-old “Great Eight” has yet to say if he’ll play in the NHL next season; there are hints that he could go home and play in Russia before calling it a career.
Ovi enters the week one goal shy of an NHL-record 20th 30-goal season – the only time he missed was 2020-21, when he had 24 goals in the 56-game COVID-shortened regular season. The Rangers won’t be heartbroken if he doesn’t come back in the fall – Ovi has 46 goals and 74 points in 77 games against the Blueshirts.
Shesterkin is 9-5-1 with a 2.73 GAA and .913 save percentage against his fellow Russian and the Caps.
The Capitals are 2-1-0 against the Rangers this season and desperately need wins to keep their fading playoff hopes alive. It’s their first visit to the Garden since they shut out the Rangers 1-0 on Oct. 12.
