The Rangers extended their winning streak to six games with a 7-4 win over the Canadiens. New York came out slow, with Montreal carrying the play for the first 30 minutes of the contest. A Chris Kreider tally – his first of three in the contest – in the second tied the game and opened the floodgates for four markers in a 4:10 span. The Blueshirts didn’t play well in the third period but added three scores to salt away the win.
The one downer in the win was the loss of Blake Wheeler to injury. Wheeler’s right leg looked to toe-pick with his skate getting caught on the ice. That resulted in his right leg getting caught behind him with no give due to the ice. At best, the injury looked like a hyperextended knee, but based on his reaction and the inability to put any weight on the leg, a broken fibula or torn knee ligaments certainly look more likely.
Blake Wheeler was put on a stretcher after being injured on this playpic.twitter.com/j7jX2X0pbA
— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) February 16, 2024
To replace Wheeler, at least initially, New York promoted Matt Rempe from Hartford on Friday. Rempe was called up last Saturday with Adam Edstrom but stayed for two practices before he was sent down. Either Rempe or Alex Belzile, who had 37 points in 43 games for the Wolf Pack and was called up Wednesday, will slot onto the fourth line. All signs point to Jimmy Vesey, who saw some shifts with Mika Zibanejad and Kreider after Wheeler left the game, getting a shot on the first line Sunday.
New York has a few other options they could try if Vesey does not pan out on the top line. The Rangers could also move Kaapo Kakko, who scored yesterday, back next to Zibanejad and Kreider, with Vesey sliding back to the third line. Another down-the-road option is to promote Brennan Othmann, who recently moved to right-wing at Hartford, and give him a shot on the first or third line. I would love to see Othmann, but the team wants to let Othmann get more experience on the right side before calling him up. Of course, the trade route exists with the deadline in three weeks.
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New York finally scored a power play goal, their first seemingly in weeks. In addition, they added a shorthanded tally and five even-strength markers. Contributions were made offensively up and down the lineup, headed by CK20’s three goals, Zibanejad’s goal and two assists, Artemi Panarin’s quiet three assists, including his first-ever shorthanded helper, and Adam Fox’s four apples.
Sunday, it will be New York-New York at MetLife Stadium. The Rangers and Islanders meet in their second outdoor game match up. Both teams met at Yankee Stadium on January 29, 2014, with the Blueshirts prevailing 2-1. The Rangers defeated the Devils three days earlier, 7-3, at the same venue and on the same ice surface. The Blueshirts edged the Flyers 3-2 at Citizens Bank Park on January 2, 2012, and prevailed 3-2 in overtime against the Sabres on January 1, 2018 at Citi Field.