It was a highly anticipated clash between the two titans of the East in a post-Thanksgiving matinee between the Boston Bruins and New York Rangers. Coming into the contest, the Bruins’ 14-2-3 record was good for first in the Eastern Conference and NHL, while the Rangers’ 14-3-1 record was right on their heels.
The contest lived up to the hype, with both teams flexing their muscles at different times. When one team looked to be in control of the game, the opponent would increase their play, making it a back-and-forth affair until the Rangers ultimately pulled away, defeating Boston 7-4 and improving their record to a now league-best 15-3-1.
Both the Bruins and Rangers demonstrated at points what has made them successful early on this season. Relentless forecheck and puck pursuit, coupled with talented, game-breaking forwards and quality blueliners, the game was action-packed and thrilling for everyone who watched.
A lot of time separates Nov. 25 from when the games truly matter in the postseason, but when you can test your group against the cream of the crop, you want to pass that test. And the Rangers passed with flying colors, handling the Bruins without Adam Fox and Filip Chytil (injured) and with Igor Shesterkin on the bench after defeating the Philadelphia Flyers the night before.
After the victory over the Bruins, the Rangers’ 31 points in 19 games gives them the best point percentage in the league at .816. Let’s look at Saturday’s (Nov. 25) thrilling matchup and victory for the Rangers.
Kreider and Panarin Lead Rangers to Win
Chris Kreider (two goals and one assist) and Artemi Panarin (one goal and two assists) led the way as the Rangers put up a season-high seven goals in their victory over Boston. The Blueshirts’ fourth line was also impressive, as Jimmy Vesey (one goal, one assist), Barclay Goodrow (one assist), and Tyler Pitlick (one goal) continued their solid play over the last handful of games.
Nick Bonino got the Rangers started with an unassisted goal in the first period, capitalizing on a Bruins’ turnover. Kreider would extend the lead to two, doing what he does best and getting his seventh power-play goal of the season. The Bruins answered with two of their own and looked to take the lead on a power play late in the first when Kreider turned on the jets and buried a short-handed goal for his second of the game and 13th of the season.
Boston’s David Pastrnak tied the game less than a minute into the second period and on the same power play, and just like that, the game seemed poised to be a dogfight the rest of the way. But with under four minutes to play in the second period, Vesey scored on a delayed penalty call to give the Rangers the lead.
Related: Rangers’ Jonathan Quick Exceeding Expectations
K’Andre Miller scored with 24 seconds left in the second to give the Rangers a two-goal lead, with Kreider picking up his third point of the night. Pitlick and Charlie Coyle traded goals early on in the third before Panarin scored 4:38 into the period for the Rangers’ seventh and final goal of the game.
Kreider, who has become one of the league’s most consistent goal-scorers in the past three seasons, is now tied for third in the NHL with 13 goals. Panarin’s three points give him 29 on the season, tied for fifth in the NHL. Jonathan Quick got another win, improving his record to an incredible 6-0-1 this season. It was an excellent performance by the Rangers, who were led by their stars in the season’s biggest game thus far.
Rangers Sit on Top of the League Standings
With the victory on Saturday, the Rangers improved to 15-3-1, good for 31 points and the best record in the league, both in points percentage and total wins. They have one game in hand on the second-place Bruins and two games in hand on the third-place Vegas Golden Knights.
Their home record improved to 6-1-0, while their 9-2-1 record on the road is second only to the Los Angeles Kings (9-0-0). After relieving Gerard Gallant of his head coaching duties and bringing in Peter Laviolette, many thought there would be growing pains early on for the Rangers as they adjusted to their new head coach.
Instead, the Blueshirts have the league’s best record as we pass the American Thanksgiving mark of the season. With their terrific start, the Rangers have built up an eight-point cushion over the second-place Flyers despite having played two fewer games than Philly. The Thanksgiving mark has been considered a benchmark for years to see which teams could potentially be playoff favorites.
Last season, seven of the eight teams that held playoff spots in the East at Thanksgiving wound up making the postseason. Things could change on a whim in the NHL, but the Rangers have put themselves in a great spot once again to compete in the field of 16 for the Stanley Cup.
It was a game that many looked at as an indicator of how good this team could truly be, and the Rangers showed that when they click, they are hard to stop. Since starting the season 2-2-0, the Rangers have gone 13-1-1 and are now in the driver’s seat in the race for the Presidents’ Trophy.
