Just when it looked like the New York Rangers were about to turn things around and go on a run, they put up a stinker.
- San Jose Sharks, 4 (4-4-0, 8 points)
- New York Rangers, 1 (2-6-2 6 points)
- SJ Goals: Logan Couture (7), Tim Heed (1), Joonas Donskoi (2), Melker Karlsson (2)
- NYR Goal: Mika Zibanejad (6)
- NHL, Final, Box Score
- Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
One of the keys to the game that we have been talking about over the first two weeks is for the Rangers to get off to a good start in games. Against the San Jose Sharks, they did but this time they were not rewarded.
On a delayed penalty, Logan Couture‘s slap shot from the point deflected off of Chris Kreider‘s skate and past Henrik Lundqvist just 1:56 into the game, giving the Sharks the early 1-0 lead.
Third Star of the Week with the game's first goal.@Logancouture is red hot! #SJSvsNYR pic.twitter.com/X2TlMvJ55E
— NHL (@NHL) October 23, 2017
From this point forward the Rangers found themselves controlling a majority of the play as they found themselves on the power play four times in the period. The Sharks did a great job at keeping the puck away from Kevin Shattenkirk, who was playing his 500th career game, which kept the Rangers from generating quality chances.
A misplay by Lundqvist would put the Sharks up 2-0 after one.
The first National Hockey League goal for Tim Heed. Sharks lead 2-0 #sjsharks pic.twitter.com/HRPNIh61PR
— Sharks on NBCS (@NBCSSharks) October 23, 2017
Martin Jones was the difference in this one for the Sharks. Jones had 24 saves through two periods of play and robbed Pavel Buchnevich several times.
#GameOfJones pic.twitter.com/4F8aNUGKaQ
— Brodie Brazil (@BrodieNBCS) October 24, 2017
Jones was a brick wall tonight for San Jose, which meant that the Rangers had to be perfect when handling the puck to mount a comeback. They weren’t.
After neutral zone turnover, Joonas Donskoi would put the Sharks up by three with less than 40 seconds to go in the second period.
Donskoi beats King Hank, 3-0 Sharks over the Blue Shirts #sjsharks pic.twitter.com/FBQ6S9qXeM
— Sharks on NBCS (@NBCSSharks) October 24, 2017
On the play, Donskoi bumped into Lundqvist and it appeared that King Henrik was shaken up. Lundqvist would remain in the game but wound up hurting the Rangers again. Early in the third period, Lundqvist held the puck too long behind the net, leading to a turnover and an empty-net goal for San Jose.
A Monday delivery from the Melkman. 4-0 Sharks #sjsharks pic.twitter.com/cd5TZaSdG0
— Sharks on NBCS (@NBCSSharks) October 24, 2017
Mika Zibanejad would put the Rangers on the scoreboard, but it came too little too late.
For the second game in a row, the Rangers dressed 11 forwards and seven defensemen. Before the game, Alain Vigneault was asked about the status of Filip Chytil who was injured in a game in Hartford Tuesday night. Vigneault said the injury is “minor” but that if they were to call someone up from the AHL, he likely wouldn’t be the pick.
The Rangers will look to get back on the winning track as Derek Stepan and the winless Arizona Coyotes visit the Garden Thursday night.