My thoughts as this game unfolded:
- This game started with a long feeling-out period, much like the Capitals game
- Seth Jones is skating again! Yay! Maybe he’ll be back soon.
- Jack Johnson had a few poor plays to start the game
- And then took a penalty to boot. He’s been bad this season.
- At least the penalty kill looks solid
- Bobrovsky has been on fire to open this season. I wonder how much the World Cup of Hockey helped him get ready.
- PK good! PP bad!
- With the puck bouncing, Karlsson SCORES! He just let a slap shot fly and beat Lundqvist through the 5 hole.
- That wasn’t the fewest shots combined in a period for Columbus and another team (six, the record is four), but it was close
- Josh Anderson had a nifty stick handling move to open the second period. He’s really impressed me this year
- SAM GAGNER! He’s been impressive this year.
- Please re-sign.
- Matt Calvert took a shot off the face. Hopefully he’s okay, but that was a lot of blood.
- Grabner picked Murray’s pocket and scored. Bah.
- Torts was very displeased with Murray on the bench, and he’s not wrong.
- I hate the pizza song.
- The Rangers play the breakaway a lot in transition. Wonder if Saad would thrive in that role.
- No shots again on the second power play for Columbus. How disheartening.
- The Rangers equalized on a nifty play that Bobrovsky had no chance on as Zibanejad crashed the net. Lots of puck watching from the skaters.
- Huge kill needed shortly after for Columbus. Come on.
- The pairing of JJ and Murray was dreadful all night.
- Matt Calvert, who else, scores the go ahead shortie for Columbus with under 8 minutes to go. ¯_(ツ)_/¯
- Penalty killed too!
- Jack Johnson defensive play alert! He protected a very wide open net from Zibanejad with 5 minutes to go
- Hockey song!
- UGHHHHH a turnover and Wennberg couldn’t find Saad to put it away
- Rangers empty net with 1:03 to go.
- Oh hey, the empty netter by Boone counts. 4-2 final!
- FRANCHISE RECORD SEVENTH STRAIGHT HOME WIN/
This was a team win through and through. Holy cow. There are not enough superlatives for that effort, that result, and for the heart Matt Calvert showed.
3 stars
3rd: Sam Gagner
2nd: William Karlsson
1st: Matt Calvert