Rangers vs. Golden Knights: Quick Gets Win 400 In Style
The New York Rangers finally got that 400th win for Jonathan Quick. He sure had to work for it, though.
- We should start with Jonathan Quick, since it was his night after all. Imagine if you were told, right after Game 5 of the 2014 Stanley Cup Final, that you'd watch Madison Square Garden give Quick a standing ovation for his 400th career win—and be genuinely happy about it. You'd probably punch that person in the face. But there we were, watching Quick take his little victory lap, feeling happy. And you should. I'm leaning into 2014 a little for fun, but I never had an issue with Quick coming to the Rangers, and I think his leadership has been one of the rare stabilizing impacts in this locker room. He deserved it. And boy did the Rangers make him work for it the past few weeks.
- I think these past two games have showed why Chris Drury prioritized J.T. Miller in a trade. I'm going to have a set of longer thoughts going up by mid-week, but I think it's self evident that he completely changes the dynamic of this team when he is on the ice. It is so very refreshing to have a player who doesn't only do the dirty work on the ice, but revels in it. Miller is always in front of the net, he is a menace along the boards, and by god the man cares. Such a rarity in this room.
- I have so many thoughts on Mika Zibanejad somehow getting a promotion out of the Miller trade when common logic would tell you that Miller's arrival should allow Peter Laviolette—who is lost and confused about many things this year—to shelter Zibanejad away from the flames. Promoting Mika was a disaster against Boston on Saturday but it worked in the third period on Sunday. Zibanejad scored a goal (off a Miller shot that Aiden Hill really should have had) after fighting to keep the puck in the zone moments before. Miller created separation for Zibanejad to feed K'Andre Miller for his snipe. Zibanejad also made the pass across to Panarin for his snipe. Lots of snipes in this one.
- There was also a lot of "where has this been the past few months?"
- Way more after the jump, including Lindgren, Lafreniere, Trocheck, Kaliyev, the power play and more!
