NHL: New York Rangers Face Utah
Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images
Despite not securing a point in Denver, the New York Rangers remained upbeat after a strong three-game Western trip, preparing for one of their most crucial weekends of the season.
The Rangers finished the trip with a 2-0-1 record, highlighted by a comeback 5-3 victory over the Utah Hockey Club in Salt Lake City on Thursday. They fell behind 1-0, 2-1, and 3-2 but netted three goals in the final period, marking their first comeback win this season from a third-period deficit. This victory followed a 2-1 win over the Vegas Golden Knights last Saturday and a tough 3-2 overtime loss to the Colorado Avalanche, where they allowed the equalizer with just over a minute left and then surrendered the winning goal with 36 seconds remaining.
The win against Utah elevated the Rangers to a record of 21-20-3, putting them back above .500 for the first time since mid-December. They currently sit sixth in the Metropolitan Division and 13th in the Eastern Conference, amidst a competitive group of teams vying for the two wild card spots in the East.
Coach Peter Laviolette expressed satisfaction with how his team bounced back after the Colorado loss. “We’re still frustrated about the one we lost,” he noted post-game. “It was a good road trip. I think we’ve been playing well and need to keep it up.”
The Rangers are heading into arguably their most challenging and important weekend yet. They will return home on Saturday to face the Columbus Blue Jackets, who are riding a six-game winning streak and currently hold the first wild card position in the Eastern Conference. Following that, they will travel to Montreal for a Sunday night game against the red-hot Canadiens, who are three points ahead of the Rangers and one point shy of the Boston Bruins, currently occupying the second wild card spot.
“We had a resilient road trip,” said forward Reilly Smith, who tied the game against Utah with a shorthanded goal early in the third. “We have huge games coming up at home.”
As well as the Rangers are performing, they cannot afford any losses this weekend. It marks the beginning of a stretch where they will face teams currently holding playoff positions or ahead of them in eight of their next nine games. “We’re going to be playing tough games for the rest of the season,” Smith added.
The Blue Jackets have emerged as a surprising success story this season. Following a last-place finish in the Eastern Conference last year and the tragic loss of star player Johnny Gaudreau in a cycling accident last August, they have transformed into one of the NHL’s most potent offensive teams, boasting a perfect 4-0 record in shootouts.
A crucial factor will be scoring first, as Columbus leads the NHL with 28 games in which they scored first, achieving an 18-6-4 record in those outings. Conversely, their record drops to 4-11-2 when they concede the first goal.
Remarkably, these two Metropolitan Division rivals have not faced each other yet this season. They will meet again in Columbus on February 8, right before the 4 Nations Face-Off break, with two additional matchups scheduled for March 9-15.
“We need to keep in mind what has brought us this far,” Laviolette said. “We must maintain that approach in every game. If we do, we’ll give ourselves a chance.”
“It was a good trip. Now we’ll get ready for a significant game ahead.”
The Canadiens, who will host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday, aim to reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since making it to the Stanley Cup Final in 2021. They have been strong lately, with an 11-2-1 record over their last 14 games, including a 7-1-0 record on the road since the Christmas break. This impressive run includes victories against top teams such as Florida, Tampa Bay, Vegas, Colorado, Washington, Utah, and Dallas, covering the past four Stanley Cup champions and the team with the best points percentage this season (Washington, .722).
