The New York Rangers rallied on the road Saturday to defeat the Canadiens 4-3 on Saturday. Two big keys to the win were the performances by Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin. New York comes home to face Minnesota tonight.
Mika And Artemi
Zibanejad had a dominant game, blasting a power play goal and creating Panarin’s goal with speed through the neutral zone we have not seen for the last few seasons. Panarin was snakebit earlier in the game, missing several chances to score. You could tell he was gripping the stick tightly as his drought wore on. Panarin looked like the monkey was taken off his back when he his shot beat Samuel Montembeault.
With Vincent Trocheck sidelined, Zibanejad has shifted back to center. He has been the team’s most consistent offensive forward, even if the stats don’t reflect this. Zibanejad has played with a little edge and a material uptick in his offensive creativity, which has been evidenced watching him each game. If he can maintain that level, I expect Panarin and Will Cuylle to provide accordingly.
The Momentum Line
Vince Mercogliano coined that phrase this am for the Adam Edström-Sam Carrick-Matt Rempe trio. My favorite part of the column is “heads up” call opponents have when Edstrom and Rempe are chasing the puck. I said this offseason I didn’t want the trio to be separated as they could be a line that does change momentum in a game, which has proven to be the case.
Sam Carrick, the veteran of the line, changed the momentum in Saturday’s game with his fight against Arber Xhekaj. What has been most impressive is the improvements made this offseason by Rempe in his skating speed along with his improved smarts to avoid the penalties he was called for last season. Edstrom, healthy after the lower body injury that sidelined him the final third of last season, has picked up from where he left off.
Keep this trio together.
Matthew Robertson
Robertson was likely viewed as an after thought when he was promoted due to Carson Soucy’s iniury. He has played so well since his call that he, and not Urho
Vaakanainen, is remaining in the lineup following the return of Soucy tonight. Robertson will be paired with Will Borgen while Soucy skates with Braden Schneider. With Soucy back and Vaakanainen a healthy scratch, Scott Morrow is being returned to Hartford.
Rangers lines and D pairs at morning skate today.
Panarin-Zibanejad-Cuylle
Sheary-Miller-Lafrenière
Pärssinen-Laba-Raddysh
Edström-Carrick-Rempe
Gavrikov-Fox
Robertson-Borgen
Soucy-Schneider
Vaakanainen-Morrow
In addition, per Merocgliano, the power play units remain unchanged…
PP1- Fox, Panarin, Zibanejad, Lafrenière and Miller
PP2- Schneider, Laba, Cuylle, Sheary and Rempe
Schneider is really not an offensive blueliner. If Morrow is sent down and Robertson stays in the lineup, I wonder if he gets a chance to run the PP.
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