Rangers vs. Bruins: Strome and the Rangers maul Boston in 6-2 win

Ryan Strome picks up three points in a big game at MSG

For the first time this season, there were fans in the stands at Madison Square Garden. They were treated to a show unlike anything we’ve seen from the New York Rangers this season.

With Alexandar Georgiev between the pipes, the Rangers’ offense came to life in the second period and rolled over the Bruins to the tune of a three-goal second period and four-consecutive goals to lift the Rangers to a 6-2 win.

1st Period

  • 1-0, 13:16 | EVG: Julien Gauthier (2) - Ryan Lindgren/

The Rangers came out of the gate hitting and shooting.

Julien Gauthier got the Rangers on the board in the first half of the first period after shrugging off Brandon Carlo and putting a shot on net through traffic. Don’t overlook Phil Di Giuseppe setting the screen in front of Tuukka Rask or Gauthier using his big frame to protect the puck and work himself into a spot he could shoot from.

K’Andre Miller took the only penalty of the first stanza, a holding call with about five minutes left in the first but the Blueshirts killed it off.

2nd Period

  • 2-0, 2:32 | EVG: Ryan Strome (6) - Alexis Lafrenière, Chris Kreider
  • 2-1, 4:02 | EVG: Patrice Bergeron (8) - David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand
  • 3-2, 18:52 | PPG: Colin Blackwell (4) - Adam Fox, Ryan Strome
  • 4-2, 19:04 | EVG: Chris Kreider (9) - Ryan Strome/

The second period was quite eventful. There were seven minor penalties and four goals, three of which were scored by the Rangers — the last two scored just 12 seconds apart.

Lafrenière got the ball rolling by setting up Strome with a beautiful pass to put the Rangers up 2-0, but Bergeron answered for the Bruins just two minutes later.

After some spicy hockey, the Rangers capitalized on a Nick Ritchie penalty — drawn by Brendan Smith — and capitalized on the power play when Blackwell tipped a blast from the point by Fox. That tally gave the Blueshirts five power-play goals in their last three games.

The Rangers went right back on the attack at evens and Kreider had a bounce go his way off of Charlie McAvoy’s skate and past Rask to put the Rangers up by three. The Bruins’ frustration was evident at the end of the period as they felt the game slipping away from them which resulted in Jack Johnson and Trent Frederic taking coincidental slashing minors in the final ten seconds of the period.

3rd Period

  • 5-1, 1:45 | EVG: Pavel Buchnevich (5) - Adam Fox, Ryan Lindgren
  • 6-1, 3:43 | EVG: Jonny Brodzinski (1) - Kevin Rooney, Brendan Smith
  • 6-2, 7:51 | EVG:  Brad Marchand (10) - David Pastrnak, Jakub Zboril/

Buchnevich opened the scoring 64 seconds into the third period during some four-on-four hockey thanks to Adam Fox’s second primary apple of the night. Buchnevich moved the puck to Lindgren at one point, got it back, then dealt it to Fox and drove to the net with his stick on the ice. Bingo. 5-1 Rangers.

Two minutes later, Jonny Brodzinksi potted his first goal as a Ranger off of a beautiful pass from the stick of Kevin Rooney. How about that outlet pass by Brendan Smith?

Brad Marchand, who is a well-known ruiner of things, spoiled the Rangers’ momentum and got the Bruins back on the board at even strength to score his 10th goal of the season at the 7:51 mark. He swooped in on a loose puck that Georgiev struggled with after stopping a blast from Pastrnak. The goal was the 300th of Marchand’s career.

Marchand’s goal was simply too little, too late for the Bruins. The Rangers held on to their lead and stayed out of the box for the entirety of the third. Georgiev came up with 11 saves in the final period and earned every bit of the victory even if he had more goal support than he knew what to do with. All told, 11 different Rangers picked up a point with Ryan Strome leading the pack with a goal, two assists, and five shots on goal.