Few NHL games have everything.
This one certainly did and then some.
Goals, multiple fights, eye-popping saves, numerous lead changes and breakaway chances all happened for both teams as the Rangers came up short in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Canadiens on Sunday night.
With another game going past regulation, the Blueshirts point streak stays alive, reaching eight games with at least a point as New York’s gone 5-0-3 during this span.
Even though there were four different ties throughout the contest, the only time the Rangers’ trailed in this one was when Montreal’s Patrick Laine scored the game-winner in overtime, netting his 12th goal in only 18 games this season.
It’s a tough loss for the Blueshirts, who let another win slip away from their grasps. The defeat is eerily similar to the other 5-4 overtime loss they had during this streak. That one came against the Stars, where the Rangers held a 3-0 lead in the first period but allowed Dallas — just like Montreal — to stay in it, who then in turn tied the game late to force overtime and ultimately beat New York.
Even though they left a point on the board, it’s still a critical point to pick up for the Rangers (48 points), who are now tied with the Philadelphia Flyers and are only three points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets (51 points) for the second and final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.
Their last regulation loss came back on Jan. 4 against the Chicago Blackhawks and haven’t lost at home in regulation at Madison Square Garden since a 3-1 defeat at the hands of the Carolina Hurricanes all the way back on Dec. 22.
The good news is that following Sunday’s game north of the border, seven of the Rangers’ final nine games before the Four Nations Face Off tournament in mid-February will be in front of their home fans at MSG.
Vintage performance from Jonathan Quick
Even though Quick was denied his 400th career win for a third consecutive attempt, the three-time Stanley Cup champion was outstanding all night long, making 33 saves and stopping 30+ shots for the third time in his last four starts.
There’s no doubt the Canadiens could have scored even more goals if not for the two-time Vezina trophy finalist being sensational from puck drop to the final horn.
Quick made tremendous saves, outstretching and stopping Montreal from taking the lead at any point throughout the first 60 minutes, including 15 saves alone in the third period.
One of his highlights of the night came late in the first period, when despite losing his goalie stick in a scrum, was still able to make a save as he used a player’s stick to get the stop and keep the Rangers up 2-1 at that point.
Quick will have at least another try or two to achieve the feat with the Rangers playing two more back-to-backs — Feb. 1 at Boston Bruins and Feb. 2 vs. Vegas Golden Knights or Feb. 7 vs. Pittsburgh Penguins and Feb. 8 at Columbus Blue Jackets — before the two-week break.
Among active goalies in the NHL, Quick has the third most wins (399), trailing only Marc-Andre Fleury (570) and Sergei Bobrovsky (414). He holds the top spot for most victories among U.S. born goalies, with nearly 100 more wins than the next closest active American-born goaltender in Winnipeg Jets’ netminder Connor Hellebuyck, who currently has 303 wins.
Goal droughts end for multiple Rangers’ forwards
In Saturday’s 1-0 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Rangers were blanked on 26 shots in regulation and overtime, not scoring their lone goal until Vincent Trocheck netted the shootout winner.
After taking nearly half the period to get a shot on net, Quebec native Alexis Lafreniere opened the scoring in his hometown with his 12th goal of the season. The goal has to be a huge sigh of relief for the former No. 1 overall pick, as he’d scored only three goals in his previous 27 games coming into Sunday night.
Once the Canadiens tied the game at 1-1, the Rangers responded 46 seconds later, with Will Cuylle being in the right place at the right time as he converts a Montreal turnover in the offensive zone to a goal.
Cuylle’s unassisted goal ended a 15-game drought without the 22-year-old forward finding the back of the net for his 12th of the year.
Mika Zibanejad broke a 2-2 tie as he ended his own seven-game streak without a goal with a power play tally midway through the second period. Forward Chris Kreider didn’t get an assist on the play, but the Rangers’ alternative captain played a huge factor as he screened Canadiens’ goalie Jakub Dobes well enough to take his eyes off of seeing the puck.
Matt Rempe, Arber Xhekaj drop the gloves
The two heavyweights dropped the gloves early in the second period after tensions flared between the two organizations in the first 20 minutes of play.
Rempe — who was benched in Saturday’s win in Utah — stands at 6-foot-7, 241 pounds and Xhekaj at 6-foot-4, 240 pounds, each landed multiple blows to one one another before the referees came in to break up the two enforcers from one another.
After the chaos, it was the Canadiens who earned a powerplay that came up empty, but Montreal ultimately scored right after the teams got back to even strength to tie the game at 2-2.
It didn’t end there, as more after the play madness in the ensuing minutes, leading directly to the Rangers lone power play goal of the night when Zibanejad scored to give the Blueshirts a 3-2 past the halfway mark of the second period.
While this was the third and final meeting between these two Eastern Conference teams, don’t be surprised when, not if, Rempe and Xhekaj square off against one another again next season.
