Rangers Recap: Rangers defeat Bruins 5-2

The Rangers got off the preseason schnied today by finally getting a win, 5-2 over the Bruins at the TD Gardens in Boston.

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Artem Anisimov, Sean Avery, Enver Lisin, Ales Kotalik, and PJ Parenteau were the goal scorers for the Rangers. Stephen Valiquette started in goal, and was relieved by Chad Johnson, who continued to make the best of his playing time, stopping all 12 shots that he faced. Unfortunately, it probably won't be enough to survive the next round of cuts for the Rangers, expected to be announced tonight or tomorrow.

Recap from Rangers.com (click link for full story)

The Rangers raced out to a 2-0 lead just 7:44 into the game on goals by Ales Kotalik and Sean Avery. By the end of the first period, the Rangers held a 3-1 advantage, and they had scored an even-strength goal, a power-play goal, and a shorthanded goal.

Kotalik’s first goal of the preseason came with the Rangers on the power play. Michael Del Zotto patiently drew two defenders towards him at the Boston blueline before sliding a pass to Vinny Prospal on the right wing. Prospal sent a crisp cross-ice pass to Kotalik, who ripped a left-circle shot through the pads of Tim Thomas at 4:30 of the first period.

Anisimov, who recorded a goal and an assist in an impressive showing during Friday night’s 4-3 loss in Detroit, scored a breathtaking shorthanded goal to once again give the Rangers a two-goal advantage.

The 21-year-old Russian center moved with the puck on right wing over the Boston blueline, turned defenseman Jeffrey Penner inside out with a great power move, and then finished with one more gorgeous move around a diving Thomas for his second goal of the preseason.

In his second appearance of the preseason, Valiquette played 29:14 and allowed two goals on 14 shots. He was replaced by Chad Johnson, who immediately had to face a 5-on-3 Bruins power play. Johnson made three big saves during the two-man kill, and received clutch assistance from Brian Boyle, who had a key blocked shot, helping the Rangers to kill off both penalties successfully.

Enver Lisin scored his second goal in as many nights to give the Rangers a 4-2 lead at 14:04 of the second. Defenseman Matt Gilroy found Kotalik straightaway from the Bruins net. Kotalik blasted a shot toward the goal, and the puck pinballed to Lisin, deflecting off the young forward’s foot and over the goal line.

So between Brandon Dubinsky signing his new contract, and finally getting a win in the preseason, it was a very successful day for the Rangers.