Henrik Lundqvist and the New York Rangers snatched defeat from the jaws of victory not once, but twice in Anaheim against the Ducks.
- New York Rangers 3 (16-12-4, 36 pts)
- Anaheim Ducks 4 (14-15-4, 32 pts)
- NHL, Final, Shoutout, Box Score
- Honda Center, Anaheim, CA
One-hundred-and-six seconds is all that separated the New York Rangers from an impressive two-point regular win in Anaheim Saturday afternoon.
It was not to be.
A Hampus Lindholm power-play goal at the 18:16 mark of the third knotted the game at three. It came courtesy of a Brady Skjei tripping penalty that put David Quinn’s team down a man at a critical time.
https://twitter.com/AnaheimDucks/status/1205993636128641025
Then, after a scoreless overtime, the team faced a similar situation: stop one shootout attempt and walk away with two points.
It didn’t happen.
Ondrej Kase deked Henrik Lundqvist out of his skates and Jakob Silfverberg followed it up with an identical shot and spot (back-hand, short-side top-shelf corner).
Here's how the New York Rangers couldn't secure two points. All Henrik Lundqvist had to do was make this first stop.
Kase uses the deke, but there's no question Silfverberg learned from Kase and went same shot, same spot. Lundqvist had no chance. 4-3 SO win for Anaheim. #NYR pic.twitter.com/dA9SPmBvXA
— ESNY (@EliteSportsNY) December 15, 2019
New York ends its road trip with a 4-3 shootout loss in Anaheim.
Artemi Panarin continues to fly. He added another goal on Saturday, making it goals in all four games on the road trip. The Bread Man’s 19th of the season followed up a Rangers’ 1-0 lead, making it 2-0 before the Ducks could even blink twice.
Don't blink. pic.twitter.com/sOpvdDEf0u
— x – New York Rangers (@NYRangers) December 14, 2019
Interestingly, the scoreboard read 1-0 in favor of the road team before the Ducks could even think about blinking. Mika Zibanejad scored 10 seconds into the contest, one second shy of the team’s all-time franchise record of nine.
Good afternoon. pic.twitter.com/Ydbbncmjm2
— x – New York Rangers (@NYRangers) December 14, 2019
As they often do, New York yet again gave up a comfortable lead.
Silfverberg tallied his 12th of the year, on the power-play, just several minutes after Panarin made it 2-0.
https://twitter.com/AnaheimDucks/status/1205969207910813696
Erik Gudbranson beat Lundqvist just 1:02 into the second period, pulling Anaheim even at two goals apiece.
https://twitter.com/AnaheimDucks/status/1205971664351088640
After four goals within a span of 21:02, the two teams turned to more of a defensive contest. But yet again, the Rangers’ theme of the night, strike quickly, held true. Zibanejad’s second goal of the day put his team ahead 3-2.
He's there when we need him. pic.twitter.com/2GKwTmzGnL
— x – New York Rangers (@NYRangers) December 14, 2019
Zibanejad finished with two goals and the Rangers’ lone shootout tally, earning No. 2 star honors. The Ducks’ Hampus Lindholm, who tied the game late with a power-play goal, his first of the season, skates away with No. 1 star honors.
Lundqvist played well for most of the afternoon, yet was exposed in the shootout. Each was a tough shot to defense, no doubt; but Silfverberg didn’t hesitate once he saw Kase’s location. No. 30 finished with 39 saves on 42 shots.
https://twitter.com/AnaheimDucks/status/1205973293141909504
Josh Gibson picks up the victory after stopping 29 of the 32 Rangers shots that were put on net.
New York walks away with five points on the four-game road trip with a record of 2-1-1. Next up will be the Nashville Predators Monday night at Madison Square Garden.
