Henrik Lundqvist, Kevin Shattenkirk, and the rest of the New York Rangers picked up a thrilling road victory in San Jose on Tuesday night.
- New York Rangers 4 (4-7-1, 9 pts)
- San Jose Sharks 3 (6-3-3, 15 pts)
- NHL, Final, Shootout, Box Score
- SAP Center, San Jose, California
It took nearly a full month for it to happen, but it’s finally come to fruition. The New York Rangers have picked up a road victory during the NHL campaign of 2018-19.
Manhattan’s hockey club accomplished the feat on Tuesday night in thrilling fashion while in San Jose battling the tough Sharks.
It was Henrik Lundqvist stopping all three shootout shots and Kevin Shattenkirk throwing a masterful deke home to get it done in the 4-3 victory.
Henrik Lundqvist shuts them out 3-0 while Kevin Shattenkirk puts the third one home in the shootou to give the New York Rangers their first road victory of the season. #NYR pic.twitter.com/NisF93LC1a
— Elite Sports NY (@EliteSportsNY) October 31, 2018
Speaking of the goalie, Hank, all told, he stopped 31 shots in the win. The most frustrating non-save came with just 1.6 seconds to go in regulation when Tomas Hertl stunned the Blueshirts with a top-shelf goal to send the contest to overtime.
Just when the Rangers thought they had a hard-fought 3-2 victory wrapped up, Neal Pionk could not move the puck further down the boards.
WITH 1.6 SECONDS LEFT!!@TomasHertl48 ties the #SJSharks at 3, we’re going to OT. pic.twitter.com/YVHbbWtNRr
— Brodie Brazil (@BrodieNBCS) October 31, 2018
The go-ahead goal a little earlier came on a beautiful Mats Zuccarello-Chris Kreider combination. For Kreider, it was his second goal of the period and sixth of the season.
Zuccarello finds Kreider to give the Rangers the 3-2 lead. #NYR pic.twitter.com/qTMzM0LS9E
— Elite Sports NY (@EliteSportsNY) October 31, 2018
Kreider also tallied a goal just 1:13 into the final period, giving his team the 2-1 advantage.
? ? ?#NYR pic.twitter.com/jr4aA9bRYa
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) October 31, 2018
Zuccarello tallied the first New York goal, responding early in the first after Sharks d-man Brent Burns made it 1-0.
Overall, it was a back and forth that both exposed the Rangers’ weaknesses at times. To allow a game-tying goal with 1.6 remaining on the clock is unforgivable. To also allow a mini 3-on-1 in the final minute of the contest in a one-goal game is also a rough look.
At the same time, these Sharks aren’t a pushover. This was a good hockey club the young Rangers just took out on the road.
Pavel Buchnevich did not play in the game. As mentioned prior to the contest and earlier on Tuesday, he was a healthy scratch (per David Quinn).
There will be little time to rest as the New York Rangers move on over to Anaheim where they’ll take on the Ducks on Thursday night. The puck drops at 10 p.m. ET before the action can be seen on MSG Network.
As Sam Rosen called it…WHAT A GAME! #NYR hold on to win 4-3 in a shootout @EliteSportsNY pic.twitter.com/T0wzmgKIpH
— Dom Renna (@drennaESNY) October 31, 2018
