First Period
Despite playing the second half of a back-to-back, the Rangers came out with more energy. They struck first with a wrap-around goal from Arthur Kaliyev. Jordan Harris did a decent job catching up and marking Kaliyev as he came down the left side with speed, but Harris was unable to finish his check. He just bounced off, and Kaliyev was able to continue skating with speed behind the net. Elvis Merzlikins had committed to defending the right post during the rush, and couldn’t get back over left in time to stop the wrap-around shot.
Fortunately the Blue Jackets finally remembered that they had a game to play tonight as well. They started pushing back in the back half of the first, and got two goals within 58 seconds to take the lead. The first was a beautiful tic-tac-toe among the Maize-and-Blue Jackets, from Adam Fantilli to Zach Werenski to Kent Johnson.
The next came from the third line, with Justin Danforth tipping in a Jack Johnson shot, following an entry and feed by Zach Aston-Reese.
Second Period
The middle frame followed a similar pattern, with the Rangers dominating early and getting the tying goal. This featured really nice passing from a very talented Rangers’ line. It also featured some defensive confusion among Fantilli, Werenski, and Denton Mateychuk as they were playing 4v4 at the moment.
The Jackets took the lead back on a nice passing play of their own. James van Riemsdyk carried the puck into the zone and dropped to Cole Sillinger. Silly passed across the ice to Damon Severson, who then sent it back to JVR in the crease. This sort of lateral pre-shot movement is key to creating quality chances. The net was wide open for JVR, though his poke shot deflected off of the left post. Did he call bank?
Third Period
What if I told you the Rangers again scored first in the period, and like the first it was in the opening two minutes?
I’m still not sure how this one went in. Pretty good defense by the Jackets. Just a seeing-eye shot through traffic that Elvis had no prayer of stopping.
The Jackets got some pressure in this period, with five high danger shot attempts, four of which were on net. The problem? Those four shots were the only shots on goal in the entire period. That’s not enough.
It felt like perhaps the Jackets were content to play for a point, but the Rangers got the game-winner in the final two minutes. Denton Mateychuk skated through the middle of his own zone and looked to make an outlet pass, but Vincent Trocheck made a great play to reach out and get a stick on the puck. It bounced off the wall to Cuylle, who buried it for his second of the period.
It’s not a bad idea for Mateychuk to try that outlet pass towards Kent Johnson there, but with Trocheck that close, I wonder if he would have been better served taking the puck farther to the wall before sending it up-ice, to an area where a turnover would be less dangerous than in the middle of the defensive zone.
Final Thoughts
Same story tonight as every other game over the last week…too many injuries, and so not enough depth of talent to share the load. Six Jackets played over 20 minutes, and that includes four forwards: Fantilli, Johnson, Voronkov, Olivier. I guess I don’t mind riding the horses when there’s a two week break afterwards, but there was also clearly diminishing returns. Those guys had no legs left in the third when the Jackets needed a push.
Once again, the Jackets dressed 11 forwards and 7 defensemen. Jordan Harris, who we saw on defense on that first Rangers goal, did not play again in that first period. In the second period, he had just two shifts. So that’s 3 shifts for a total of 2:01. One on-ice shot attempt for, and six against. Was it really worth playing him over Kevin Labanc?
Up Next
Most of the team gets to go on vacation, while Zach Werenski will join Team USA in Montreal for the 4 Nations Face-off. Stay tuned at The Cannon as we’ll have coverage of that tournament, as well as articles breaking down the season so far, the season yet to come, and what’s happening with prospects in the pipeline.