The New York Rangers played a very solid game Monday, defeating the Anaheim Ducks 5-2 at Madison Square Garden. New York is now 6-0 at home, a reversal of fortune from their 2025-26 struggles there, and a mark of their last high to start a season in 1990-91. Oliver Bjorkstrand netted a pair while Dylan Garand made 29 saves in the win.
Game recap:
Rangers lines vs. Ducks
Perreault-Zibanejad-Lafrenière
Kartye-Miller-Dorofeyev
Cuylle-Laba-Tolvanen
Bjorkstrand-Dowling-Raddysh
Gavrikov-Fox
Pettersson-Durzi
Šmits-Schneider
Garand
Martin
Scratches: Morrow, Rempe
IR: Sýkora (lower-body), Korpisalo (lower-body)
LTIR: Shesterkin (lower-body), Veleno (lower-body)
A few thoughts:
1) Garand: strong in net once again. Deserved the shutout, which was lost in the last 90 or so seconds when the team fell asleep defensively. With no back-to-backs until Nov 27-28, look for the team to roll Garand out each game until then. Garand has given the Rangers a chance to win each game, save for one occurrence, and been even better than that in nearly every contest.
I doubt the rumor mentioned here about Karen Vejmelka coming to New York as part of a three-way deal to get Connor Hellebuyck to Utah. Vejmelka is signed with a $4.75 mil cap hit through 2030. Unless you think you can flip him after the season, why and how would you add that AAV to Igor Shesterkin’s $11.57 million cap hit after this season? Let’s see what we have in Garand. Then if a deal is needed, I could see exploring the marketplace. But for now, just roll with the kid.
2) Dorofeyev: the goals will come. His line with JT Miller and Tye Kartye was dominant Monday. Dorofeyev himself had 10 shots towards the net (five on goal) while also responsible for five of the high danger chances mentioned below. His shooting percentage is at an all-time low, as he struggles to finish. But once he finds that form, goals should come in bunches.
While this tweet specifically is about Gabe Perreault, look who is second in the league in individual high danger chances. By the way, leave Perreault-Mike Zibanejad-Alexis Lafreniere alone. Don’t break them up, don’t move pieces around, just let them cook, as they have chemistry as a trio.
Accountability is a lost word in all sports (can argue society as a whole as well). Despite the strong game from Dorofeyev, Rangers coach Mike Sullivan sent a clear message that failure to play according to the rules has consequences. That lesson should not be lost on anyone, though it’s up to Sullivan to hold all accountable in the same way.
3) Puck Pressure: a good portion of the team’s success this season, as compared to last season, is due to the improved forecheck and puck pressure. The tweet and video embedded in the tweet is a pretty good display of both. Both have been lacking the past several seasons. Adding players with a bit more speed, plus a full commitment of everyone to this endeavor are evident nightly. That pressure coupled with a focus of getting pucks to the net Monday resulted in a season-high 16 high-danger chances at even strength, per Natural Stat Trick.
4) Luke Glendening: the quest for a fourth line center with Joe Veleno sidelined has resulted in the team signing Glendening to a PTO. Glendening has zero offense of which to speak, but as Vince Mercogliano noted, he brings traits New York values in that role: “an experienced penalty-killer who’s good on faceoffs (55.6 percent in his career) and ranked in the 92nd percentile league-wide for max skating speed last season, according to NHL Edge.” These qualities make him a solid fit overall and a relatively perfect fourth-line pivot. (Boy, do I miss Adam Edstrom)
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Tagged: New York Rangers, nhl