Here are some takeaways from the New York Rangers' 5-3 win over the Utah Hockey Club.
It wasn’t always pretty, but the New York Rangers found a way to defeat the Utah Hockey Club 5-3 on Thursday night.
The Rangers started the contest in a sluggish way as they gave up a goal less than two minutes into the contest.
Despite goals from Artemi Panarin and Arthur Kaliyev, Utah dominated the majority of the period and New York’s defensive woes seemed to reappear.
Utah’s speed was an issue for the Rangers especially in the first half of the game.
Going into the third period down by one goal, all the momentum was in Utah’s favor, but the Blueshirts turned that around quickly.
Reilly Smith scored a short-handed goal seconds into the third period, shifting the trajectory of the night.
Through the final 20 minutes, the Rangers were more composed and played a cleaner brand of hockey.
It was Chris Kreider who scored the game-winning goal 10:22 into the final frame to end the team’s three-game road trip on a high note.
By watching the Rangers recently, it’s easy to see that they are just more confident as a group.
“I think it’s a different emotional energy,” Reilly Smith said. “I think guys are playing with a lot more confidence. We are also defending better as a group. It seems like ever since Christmas we have been playing a different brand of hockey.”
It's not only their confidence though. With a higher sense of confidence, the Rangers are showing the kind of restlessness and heart that we’ve been waiting to see out of this team for a long time.
“What I really liked is the response in the second period and the third period, especially in the third period,” Peter Laviolette said. “Just going out there and fighting for a win, a lot of character and a lot of heart from the guys.”
The Blueshirts escaped this road trip with five out of six points. Players in the locker room can feel that they are finally starting to turn the page on their dreadful stretch in December.
This is a new Rangers team.
“I think it’s big,” Ryan Lindgren said about New York’s successful road trip. “We are starting to show a little bit more. To come away with five out of six points is big and we just have to keep it rolling.”
The Rangers will be back in action on Saturday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
