The New York Rangers put on a dominating performance last night, overwhelming the Montreal Canadiens from the opening faceoff to the final buzzer in a decisive 7-2 victory. Fueled by standout contributions from Filip Chytil, Kaapo Kakko, and Will Cuylle, the Rangers continued their impressive start to the season, improving their record to 5-0-1.
Rangers vs. Canadiens Game Recap
The Rangers came out flying, opening the scoring just 54 seconds into the game with Mika Zibanejad’s first five-on-five goal of the season. After Artemi Panarin carried the puck into the zone and hit Adam Fox with a trailing pass, Fox set up Zibanejad, who blasted it past Samuel Montembeault to make it 1-0.
Moments later, Braden Schneider launched the puck down the ice, and Adam Edstrom hustled to negate icing. With the Canadiens’ defense caught off guard, Edstrom found Jonny Brodzinski in front of the net, who made it 2-0. Reilly Smith then added to the Rangers’ lead, stripping Lane Hutson and scoring on a breakaway to make it 3-0. The Rangers made it 4-0 on a beautiful power-play passing sequence finished by Chytil after Vincent Trocheck drew a cross-check from Josh Anderson.
Montreal responded when Nick Suzuki capitalized on a defensive breakdown to score, cutting the lead to 4-1 before the end of the first period. Suzuki struck again in the second period on a power play, narrowing the score to 4-2. However, the Rangers bounced back as Schneider ripped a shot past goaltender Cayden Primeau (who replaced Montembault) off a pass from Chytil, making it 5-2 by the end of the second.
Related: 5 Takeaways From the Rangers’ 5-2 Win Over the Red Wings
In the third period, the Rangers’ third line continued to dominate. Chytil netted his second goal of the night after a net-front scramble, and Kakko added another, beating Primeau on a rush to secure the Rangers’ 7-2 victory.
Rangers Takeaways
- The Rangers’ third line, which has been excellent all season, led the way last night, combining for eight points. Cuylle now has six points (one goal, five assists), Chytil has five (two goals, three assists), and Kakko has five (one goal, four assists). This line hasn’t just excelled offensively, they’ve been a shutdown defensive force, controlling 71.6% of the expected goals when on the ice.
- Defensively, the Rangers face a good dilemma. Ryan Lindgren made his season debut after jaw surgery, and with eight defensemen playing well so far, the lineup decisions are tough. Rookie Victor Mancini continues to impress, adding another assist, while Zac Jones, who has played excellent hockey, has sat out two straight games. Peter Laviolette may need to rotate Jones and Lindgren as the latter continues his recovery.
- Smith has been a revelation for the Rangers with six points (two goals, four assists) in six games. He’s proven to be a key addition to the Zibanejad-Kreider line, showcasing his hockey IQ and contributing both to their success and creating chances for himself, including his goal last night.
- Schneider played his best game of the season, contributing a goal and an assist and being on the ice for four of the Rangers’ goals. Schneider has had a great start to the season defensively, and his improved puck-moving skills are helping the team with smoother zone exits.
- The fourth line of Sam Carrick, Edstrom, and Brodzinski also got on the scoresheet last night, controlling 61.36% of expected goals. They’ve been effective all season, controlling 57.1% of expected goals when on the ice, giving the Rangers the depth they’ve needed, with Carrick emerging as an excellent offseason pickup by Chris Drury.
- Next Game: Thursday, Oct. 24, 7 PM EST vs. Florida Panthers @ Madison Square Garden
