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After the New York Rangers collected their first win of the season on Thursday against the San Jose Sharks, they met up with the Edmonton Oilers for a Saturday afternoon matinee. The Rangers were defeated 2-1 in regulation by the Oilers, but they played well enough to win. A late blown call in the third period gave the Oilers their opportunity and they took full advantage of it. Here is today’s goal breakdown.
1-0 Rangers
Mika Zibanejad (1) - Assists: Marc Staal (1) & Brendan Smith (1)
For most of the the opening period, the Rangers were all over Edmonton in the offensive zone, but just couldn’t find a way to solve Cam Talbot. Finally, after numerous chances, Mika Zibanejad tapped home a cross-ice feed from Marc Staal and gave the Rangers their first lead of the afternoon. Staal’s intended shot-pass wound up taking a slight deflection off of a skate in front, and while fortunate, it still counts the same in the end.
1-1 Tie
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (1) - Assists: Darnell Nurse (2), Connor McDavid (3)
Not even two minutes after the Rangers opened the scoring, the Oilers found a way to answer right back with a goal from Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. The goal came as a result of a deflected puck in front of Henrik Lundqvist, and Adam McQuaid was caught puck watching at the top of the crease. Nugent-Hopkins immediately pounced on the loose puck and evened up the game at one apiece.
2-1 Oilers
Connor McDavid (2) - Assists: Leon Draisaitl (2), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (1)
The Rangers appeared destined to find the go-ahead goal late in the third period, but in a span of 15 seconds, the officials found a way to intervene and change the game. Kevin Hayes was absolutely mauled behind the net by Jason Garrison, but it went uncalled. A couple seconds later, Vladislav Namestnikov tried to jump around Kailer Yamamoto and the officials decided that was the time to call a penalty.
Of course, as it usually goes with terrible calls, the Oilers caught a lucky bounce off to the side of Henrik Lundqvist, and Connor McDavid notched his second goal of the season. The puck appeared to take a strange bounce off of Lundqvist’s pad and deflected in behind him.
The Rangers were unable to find a way to tie up the game late in the third period, and were handed their fourth loss of the season. While the Rangers could easily be 3-1 if things broke a little differently, there are a lot of positives to build on moving forward. The Rangers will be back in action this coming Tuesday as they faceoff against the Colorado Avalanche on home ice.