It was a chaotic home opener for the New York Rangers on Saturday, one they lost 6-5 to the Utah Hockey Club when Clayton Keller scored 4:05 into overtime.
It was equal parts exciting, infuriating, resourceful, frustrating and ultimately disappointing. It most surely was entertaining, back and forth with plenty of offense and controversy.
But this is not how the Rangers want to play, especially coming off a thoroughly convincing 6-0 win Wednesday in Pittsburgh against the Penguins.
“It’s two skilled teams, I think, both teams are able to play that kind of run and gun and chance for chance,” Adam Fox said postgame. “We don’t want to get into that. It did turn a little bit into that, I didn’t think it was the ultimate run-and-gun game, but I thought we cleaned it up a little better in the third, cycled pucks down low, got traffic and that [third-period game-tying] goal was pretty indicative of that.”
Jacob Trouba noted that this frenetic style is one Utah is happy playing. So, that means Utah dictated more how the game was played — though the Rangers did settle things down in the third period. All in all, probably a good early-season lesson for the Rangers to learn from.
3 Rangers takeaways from overtime loss in home opener against Utah
Here are three key takeaways from the game Saturday.
1. Not 1, but 2, goalie interference calls against Rangers
The Rangers were clearly miffed with the the officials, who twice called them for goaltender interference, nullifying one one goal in the process.
Matt Rempe barely had the heel of his skates in the blue paint when Victor Mancini seemingly scored his first NHL goal at 4:54 of the second period. And the only contact that was made on the play was initiated, barely, by Utah goalie Connor Ingram. The goal, which would’ve given the Rangers a 3-2 lead — and momentum after Artemi Panarin’s power-play goal — was disallowed, and then they were penalized for a failed coach’s challenge.
Then Will Cuylle charged down the wing and both he and Utah defensemen Mikhail Sergachev collided with Ingram, who’d come out to the circle to play the puck. Cuylle was penalized for goalie interference — his second such infraction in two games — at 11:27 of the second.
Rangers coach Peter Laviolette was not thrilled with either call, and rightfully so. It should be noted Utah’s Kevin Stenlund was penalized for goalie interference against Igor Shesterkin at 2:07 of the second period, setting up Panarin’s power-play goal.
2. Offense not a problem
The Rangers were sloppy defensively, starting with Utah’s first goal when Barrett Hayton was left all alone on left wing to beat Shesterkin one-on-one. Where was Trouba? And how did Alexis Lafreniere so completely lose his man?
That wasn’t their only egregious mistake defensively, only the first. But the flip side is that the Rangers again delivered the goods offensively, and were never out of this game because of their skilled and opportunistic play with the puck.
Like the Penguins game, the Rangers received contributions from all over the lineup. Defensemen Braden Schneider (conventional goal) and K’Andre Miller (unconventional goal after crazy bounce off boards) each scored. Panarin netted a pair. The third line delivered again when Cuylle was credited with the tying goal in the third period. Fox had three assists. Nine skaters had at least one point.
So, 11 goals scored in two games. Production up and down the lineup. Good start on offense.
3. Matt Rempe not a participant in wild brawl
Outside of Shesterkin, Rempe probably received the loudest ovation during pregame player introductions. But his season debut, after he was a healthy scratch against the Penguins, was kind of a dud.
Rempe only had seven shifts for a total of 3:40 in ice time. He didn’t record a hit and was deemed in the blue paint to negate Mancini’s apparent goal in the second period.
The towering forward showed restraint when a wild melee took place midway through the second. Each of his linemates dropped the gloves, Sam Carrick fought Michael Kesselring and Adam Edstrom laid a beating on Jack McBain. But Rempe wisely held another Utah player and stayed out of the fray. Had he joined the fights, Rempe would have received a game misconduct, which is what happened to Edstrom.
So, Rempe made a smart decision. But it was odd to see him in the role of spectator when all hell was breaking loose.
