Recap: Rangers Fall Flat in Kreider's Return, Lose 4-1 to Anaheim

In what was already poised to be a drama filled evening, the New York Rangers would host the Anaheim Ducks for the first time this season and would do so without Mika Zibanejad. As Roberto wrote earlier today, Zibanejad was a last minute healthy scratch after missing a team meeting. Taking his place in the lineup would be Matt Rempe who made his return to the Rangers lineup after missing the last 24 with an injury. 

The obvious and most notable story line going into this one however was the return of Chris Kreider and Jacob Trouba to Madison Square Garden for the first time as members of the visiting team. 

Also worth mentioning that Scott Morrow would be a healthy scratch for the second consecutive game as Urho Vaakanainen remained on the third pair alongside Matthew Robertson. Here’s how the rest of the lines played out tonight with Igor Shesterkin in net. 

First Period

It was practically all former Rangers starting for the Ducks as Chris Kreider took the opening shift alongside Ryan Strome and Frank Vatrano with Jacob Trouba on defense. About five minutes in, it was the former Captain of the Rangers taking the games first penalty as he sent Alexis Lafrenière into the boards from behind. 

With Mika Zibanejad missing tonight’s action, it was Lafrenière who took his place on the top unit as the Rangers continued to roll an all forward power play unit. While they had some success over the weekend, they were quite ineffective on their first go around this evening as Will Cuylle saw the best scoring chances at the top of the crease. 

Between the end of the power play and the midway mark of the first, the tribute videos began rolling during TV timeouts. Kreider’s was first, lengthy and the classy welcome back he deserved. It was followed by a standing ovation from the Garden that definitely 

Trouba’s wouldn’t be as long of a video but it was just as touching and filled with tons of “Trou’s” from the crowd. 

Prior to the TV timeout that brought Trouba’s tribute video, Ross Johnston attempted to get Matt Rempe to drop the gloves. It’s unclear whether Johnston was aware that this was Rempe’s first game coming off a significant injury but wisely, Rempe declined and prompted to show Johnston his finger following the play stoppage. 

With about six minutes to go, Igor Shesterkin was tested during a lengthy push from the Ducks as a shot from Trouba at the point created an awkward rebound that required a strong effort from the Rangers’ netminder to keep things locked at zero. The Rangers finished the opening period with a strong shift of their own but otherwise, it was a rather low event period. Shots after twenty were 10-9 in the Rangers favor. 

Second Period

The second would kick off with the Rangers taking their first penalty of the night as Taylor Raddysh was called for hooking Ryan Poehling who was breaking through the slot. After the Ducks spent the majority of the advantage in the Rangers end of the ice, Cuylle won a foot race with the Ducks defenders and nearly sent himself on a breakaway. Mikael Granlund would end up getting the stick tied up with Cuylle, sending him off for hooking. 

After eleven seconds of 4-v-4, the Rangers had their second chance at the power play. Once again, it was a lackluster showing although with 22 seconds to go on the advantage, Igor Shesterkin came out to play the puck and threw it up ice, into traffic by the Ducks bench. As they were in the midst of a change, Ian Moore touched the puck which forced them into a too-many men penalty. Hard to tell if it was intentional but if it was, brilliant stuff from Igor. 

With a 5-on-3 how do the Rangers thank their goaltender? That’s right, by giving up a shorthanded scoring chance! Poehling had a partial breakaway that Shesterkin made not one, but two saves on. Panarin had turned away from the play and as Cuylle and Trocheck scrambled to get back, LaCombe’s second whack at the rebound may have actually sent the puck off the skate of Cuylle on its way in. 1-0 Anaheim. 

Just over the midway point of the outing, the Rangers had a couple of quality chances, starting with a partial break for Conor Sheary. Lukas Dostal came up with not one, but two quality saves to keep the Rangers off the board. About a minute or so after, a brilliant pass from Panarin found Jonny Brodzinski going hard to the net and while he wouldn’t score, he did draw another Anaheim penalty. This time, it was Olen Zellweger going off for hooking but the Rangers came up empty handed on the power play for the fourth time this evening. 

With just under four minutes to go in the period, a shot from Matthew Robertson at the point took a strange redirect off the stick of Vatrano before hitting the stick of Dostal and finding its way to the back of the net. Vincent Trocheck however, was net front and took a whack at the puck but only hit the stick of Dostal. The officials immediately waved the goal off, thinking Trocheck caught it up high but after review, it was ruled a good goal. Second goal of Robertson’s season (and career) 1-1 game. 

With two and a half to go in the period, the Rangers were called for another penalty as Soucy got the stick up high on Beckett Senneke. The penalty killers came up big as the Rangers kept the score tied at one apiece heading into the second intermission. A pretty even game with both goaltenders playing well and each team getting their chances. The Rangers still had the slight edge in shots on goal 22-18. 

Third Period

The penalty trend continued in the third as four minutes in, Will Borgen was called for a bit of a weak hooking penalty. All the penalties were bound to cost one of these teams and sure enough, it would come at the cost of the Rangers. A simple zone entry for Sennecke and a quick shot by Cutter Gauthier found the back of the net as Shesterkin may have been screened slightly.

The Ducks nearly made it a 3-1 game soon after as Vatrano ripped a slap shot off the post. From that moment on, it became an extremely low event period as the Rangers were beginning to run out of chances to find their way back in this one.

With time slowly running out, the Rangers couldn't even manage to gain the offensive zone to pull Shesterkin for the extra attacker. Finally with about 70 seconds to go, they got Shesterkin off but it wasn't long before the Rangers were back retrieving the puck in their own end. Gauthier would pick up his second of the night with 21 seconds left to make it a 3-1 game. With Shesterkin back in net, Pavel Mintyukov fired one home to seal the deal 4-1.

That would do it in what became an incredibly disappointing night at the Garden. The Rangers didn't play bad but special teams and their inability to score goals killed them. The Rangers won't have long to get back on the horse as they will host the Vancouver Canucks tomorrow night back on home ice.