It’s only November, but it always feels good to be the best. The New York Rangers recently earned the top spot in the NHL after a win against the Eastern Conference leading Boston Bruins.
The face-off, an exciting Original Six matchup, was a spectacle at Madison Square Garden.
Dressed in their iconic Blueshirts in a Saturday matinee game, the Rangers sent a message to the NHL that they fear nobody and are carrying that “unfinished business” mentality.
They had their struggles in this game against Boston, but in the end pulled through with a strong 7-4 victory.
The Rangers didn’t let the fatigue from their back-to-back games against the Philadelphia Flyers affect their performance against the Bruins on Saturday. Their spirits were high, and the team was out-skating and playing faster than the Bruins right from the opening face off.
The Game Unravels
As the game began, the Rangers swiftly took the lead with Nick Bonino scoring the first goal, marking his debut score as a Ranger. The Rangers’ early dominance was met with a strong comeback from the Bruins, who evened the score with two quick goals.
However, the Rangers didn’t let this dampen their focus. Chris Kreider scored two crucial goals – one on a powerplay and another while shorthanded. Catching the same fire he had in his 52 goal season he had two years ago.
The Bruins’ Resilience
Despite the Rangers’ early dominance, the Bruins didn’t back down. You saw this with the Bruins coach Jim Montgomery absolutely ripping his team in the first ten minutes of play.
His team did respond, as David Pasternak, their leading scorer, managed to find the net in the second period, momentarily leveling the score. However, the Rangers retaliated swiftly, with Jimmy Vesey, Tyler Pitlick, and K’Andre Miller scoring three successive goals.
During a timeout, Jim Montgomery lays into his team after a brutal first 10 minutes: pic.twitter.com/nHQxl1xCWv
— Evan Marinofsky (@EvanMarinofsky) November 25, 2023
As the game progressed to the final period, the Rangers held a comfortable 6-3 lead. The Bruins’ Charlie Coyle then scored his second goal of the game, reducing the Rangers’ lead.
Artemi Panarin had to get personally involved, sealing the victory with a 7-4 lead. He has been nothing short of special and it has been a privilege to watch him play this season.
The Winning Streak
Under the leadership of Coach Laviolette, the Rangers have been on a roll. With a stunning 15-3-1 record for the season, they’ve achieved a league-leading .816 points percentage. This is the start we, the fans, have dreamed of.
Most multi-assist games - Winger within their first 9 career NHL seasons:
— StatsCentre (@StatsCentre) November 26, 2023
137- Guy Lafleur (1971-80)
134- Jaromir Jagr (1990-99)
115- Artemi Panarin (2015-24 via 2 in today's @NYRangers win vs BOS)
114- Mike Bossy (1977-86)
110- Jari Kurri (1980-89)
105- Nikita Kucherov (2013-23) pic.twitter.com/NQGZ28vqys
Chris Kreider this season:
— RangersMuse (@nyrangersmuse) November 26, 2023
— 13 goals
— 7 power play goals
— 2 shorthanded goals
— 7 assists
— +7 plus/minus
He's on pace for career highs in goals, assists, points, power play goals and shorthanded goals
He's in his 12th season pic.twitter.com/5U6h8Mi0dY
The Top Of the Mountain
This is all cool but we are only in November. We don’t want the Presidents Trophy for being the best team in the regular season. New York City is dying for the Stanley Cup.
As the Rangers continue their journey in the NHL, the hopes and expectations from their fans continue to rise. They are now expected to win no matter who the opponent is and what the circumstances are. Will they hold up against that pressure? We hope so as the Rangers continue to roll on.
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