Fans are craving a team that looks like what the Rangers looked like last night. They had critical momentum killing penalties, controlled the play in the attacking zone, didn’t force a play and basically held on to the drawn goalkeeper. The Rangers played their best game of the 2025 calendar year, and did so at MSG against a top team from the NHL. Again, hopefully this isn’t a blip and is a sign of better times ahead.
In Fox’s absence, Vlad Gavrikov made a big move, scoring the game-winner on a huge overtime score, collecting a rebound from Artemi Panarin and slipping it past Casey DeSmith. It feels like Gavrikov was tailor-made for Mike Sulliva. He mainly wants to disrupt, defend and also play on the attack. His 12 points in 28 games are well on his way to a career high, and his five goals are just one step away from his current career high. With Adam Fox out, he is the most complete defenseman on the roster. This is the kind of partner Braden Schneider can hopefully grow with as the Rangers find themselves at a crossroads with one of their prized homegrown defensemen.
Will Cuylle was probably miscast as a top six forward earlier this year, but he is starting to come into his own in that role. After 28 games he was an effective attacker in all situations. Cuylle’s tying goal with the goalie pulled was the first goal the Rangers have scored with an empty net since the Stadium Series game against the Islanders in 2024. Cuylle takes to the dirty parts of the ice, competes and comes out on top in puck battles, skills that can translate into clutch scoring. His 4 points in the last 5 games aren’t too bad either!
The only downside last night was the use of Scott Morrow. It just seems strange that he isn’t on PP1 considering his skill set. The Rangers acquired him in the K’Andre Miller deal for his puck-moving skills as an offensive defenseman. He’s not wet behind the ears, boy. He is 23 and has both regular season and playoff experience. The five attackers on PP1 did not convert and looked a bit stale again. With Fox out, now is the perfect time to see what Morrow can do. He’ll likely be an adventure in 5v5, but with some time and growth he can refine his defensive game and still serve as a much-needed puck mover.
If the only complaint about a game is some odd handling by a prospect, then it was a solid game all around. This is the kind of winning teams they build from. The surprise Ottawa Senators are next as the Rangers hope to build momentum ahead of a weekend gauntlet against Colorado and Vegas.
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