? it here!
1st @NHL ? for #NYR @liasandersson in his debut!! pic.twitter.com/z9mf4wAd56— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) March 27, 2018
Lias Andersson wasted little time making an impact with the New York Rangers. The future has officially arrived at MSG.
In a lost season the New York Rangers are looking at what young players Lias Andersson and Filip Chytil can do. For Andersson, he’s already finding the back of the net.
Andersson is playing in his first game in the NHL after splitting part of this season in the SHL with Frolunda and in the AHL with the Harford Wolf Pack. He has produced all year and now he’s doing so at the NHL level.
When the Rangers selected Andersson with the seventh overall pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, it was said that he was one of the most NHL ready players in the draft. He didn’t get the chance to make the team out of training camp but did not let that mess his game up.
The goal for Andersson brought some life back in Madison Square Garden which felt dead with the Rangers being onslaught down 4-0 at the time. Jimmy Vesey got in deep behind the Capitals net and found Andersson in front for the tap in.
One of the things we have heard about Andersson is that he’s a leader. He was chosen to captain team Sweden in the World Junior Championships. You could see that leadership in the way he celebrated the goal.
Goal celebration on the ice pic.twitter.com/RlAcGXUqAL
— Shayna (@hayyyshayyy) March 27, 2018
He was excited but did not go completely over the top with his celebration. As a matter of fact, it looked like his teammates were more excited about the goal than he was throughout the celebration.
Andersson had his brother, mother, and father in attendance for the game tonight and their reaction to the goals was priceless.
And a goal celebration in the stands from his family pic.twitter.com/QWlNPhq6k8
— Shayna (@hayyyshayyy) March 27, 2018
Despite some obvious nerves in the first period, Andersson has played a solid game throughout two periods. His play should only get better with the more experience he has. Either way, it isn’t a bad start for the 19-year-old.
The Rangers trail the Capitals 4-1 at the end of two periods.
