Recap: NYR Pick Up Point In Shootout Loss to Montreal

Another Original Six match-up for the Rangers as they were up in Quebec for their first meeting with the Montreal Canadiens this season. After a real rough start in the first two periods of the game which left the Blueshirts trailing 3-0, the Rangers clawed their way back in it to force overtime. Some superb goaltending from Sam Montembeault brought things to a shootout where Cole Caufield would score the lone goal to earn the Habs the extra point.

1st Period:

Not the best start for the Blueshirts as the Canadiens dominated the majority of play through the first half of the games opening period. About eight minutes in, Montreal took the first penalty of the night as Kaiden Guhle tripped Mika Zibanejad up in the corner after a quick battle for the puck in Montreal’s end of the ice. Both power play units got some looks but wouldn’t find a way to convert as Montreal kept things scoreless.

The Canadiens got right back on track as the teams returned to even strength. As the momentum increased, Brendan Gallagher ripped a shot right past the glove side of Joanthan Quick to put his team up 1-0.

That goal acted as a bit of a wake up call for the Rangers as the fourth line sparked some signs of life with a strong shift with close to five minutes to go in the first. They continued to be the Rangers best line through the start of the game as they were really matching the physical, high intensity style of play Montreal brought right out of the gate.

The score would remain 1-0 in favor of the Canadiens through the end of the period as they certainly had more fire to their game than the Rangers did. It wouldn’t appear that way on the score sheet as the Rangers out-shot their opponents 14-7 while winning 62% of the face-offs. Montreal on the other hand out-hit the Rangers 9-6 and out-blocked them 7-4 however with how aggressive they were playing, there was certainly room for things to open up for the Rangers if they could find a way to get their offense going.

2nd Period:

The sloppiness continued as the Rangers failed to get the puck out of their own zone early on in the second period. Just after the puck was kept in the zone by a solid forecheck from Sean Monahan, he would end up with the shot from the slot that kind of awkwardly fluttered up slowly and made its way over a reaching Quick to make it a 2-0 game.

About a minute later things really began to get out of hand as Joel Armia snuck a shot past Quick low on the blocker side to extend their lead to 3-0.

Things certainly weren’t looking great for the Rangers and it wasn’t looking any better as Montreal would get their first chance with the man advantage as we were nearing the midway point of the game. It would be Chris Kreider heading to the box after getting his stick caught up with Jesse Ylonen. The opportunity was certainly there for Montreal to extend their lead even more but it was Jonathan Quick coming up with a couple of big saves including a windmill glove save on a quick shot from Juraj Slafkovsky.

That save sparked something for the Rangers as they were able to find the back of the net upon returning to even strength. Vincent Trocheck would be credited with the goal as the shot from Erik Gustafsson at the point went off a stick in front to redirect past Sam Montembeault, making it a 3-1 game.

The pace really picked up from there as Montreal got back on the attack, spending a long shift in the offensive zone maintaining strong puck possession for over two minutes straight. The Rangers would go the other way with it and see a couple of chances their way. First with Will Cuylle on a partial breakaway and another one a real strong line rush that ended with a patient move from Adam Fox that Montembeault was able to turn away.

With just about five minutes to go in the period, Artemiy Panarin let a shot go right off the face-off that surprised everyone, including Montembeault to bring the Rangers within one. Trocheck did a great job of buckling down on the face-off and the second the puck touched Panarin’s stick, he was firing it in the back of the net, 3-2 game.

With three minutes to go in the second, Kreider took a stick from Nick Suzuki up high which sent the Habs Captain off for two minutes. This would be a huge opportunity for the Rangers to bring things back to square one heading into the third period. Again, the top unit saw some really good chances on the man advantage but couldn’t find a way to get the puck to the back of the net.

That would pretty much do it for the period as the teams chased the puck down both ends of the ice before the end of period buzzer sounded. Through forty minutes, the Rangers still had the advantage in shots on goal now 34-20. Play evened out quite a bit through the middle period as the Rangers picked up a pair of goals to bring them within one which made it anyone’s game heading into the third.

3rd Period:

That high intensity pace that really picked up in the second period continued through the third as the first half of the period seemed to go by in the blink of an eye. Each team saw their fair share of chances with extended shifts and high danger scoring chances going either way.

Just thirty second away from the exact halfway mark of the third, Will Cuylle, who was having himself a really strong night, parked himself right in front of Sam Montembeault which allowed for an Adam Fox shot from the point to make its way to the back of the net to tie the game up 3-3.

That goal snapped a 19 game goal drought for Adam Fox who hadn’t found the back of the net since before his injury earlier in the season.

Montreal was inches away from regaining the lead with about seven minutes to go as Jake Evans rung a one-timer off the post on Quick’s blocker side. Going the other way with it, Jonny Brodzinski found himself all alone in front of Montreal’s net but was taken down by Kaiden Guhle which would send the Rangers back to the power play.

The story remained the same as it had throughout the evening for the Rangers on the power play. Good looks but still came out empty handed. While they weren’t having any luck whatsoever on the power play, they were having some puck luck as Mike Matheson hit another post for Montreal not long after the teams got back to even strength. The Habs continued to push as they spent most of the final minutes of regulation in the Rangers zone. Aside from their shortcomings on the power play, it was the turnovers from the Blueshirts that were really hurting their chances of completing the comeback.

Both teams would take home at least one point as this outing would require extra time despite Montreal coming real close to winning the game in the dying seconds of regulation.

Overtime:

Montreal won the initial face-off but a save by Quick earned the Rangers a second try in the dot, this time in their own end. Better luck the second time around, they took the puck into Montreal’s end which led to all the best parts of 3-on-3 overtime hockey, constant back and forth action. After several attempts either way, things slowed down briefly before the Rangers had the best chances to put an end to the night.

Zibanejad and Lafrenèire had a pair of really strong chances before Slafkovsky pickpocketed K’Andre Miller, drawing a penalty with eleven seconds to go. Montreal won the face-off but a defensive effort from Zibanejad sent him on a breakaway that Montembeault turned away but the rebound went straight out to Jacob Trouba which required one more save before the shootout.

Shootout:

Nick Suzuki got things started and was shut down by a patient Jonathan Quick.

Artemiy Panarin went first for New York but slipped a backhander quite wide of the net.

Cole Caufield was next and came in real wide on the left wing side but beat Quick cutting in towards the slot with a low shot.

Mika Zibanejad pulled off ‘The Forsberg’ but was completely robbed by the paddle of Sam Montembeault’s stick.

Jesse Ylonen had the game on his stick but sent the puck just wide of the net after a slick move.

It would come down to the hometown kid in Alexis Lafrenèire who played it safe with a point blank shot which was turned away with ease by Montembeault who, frankly, earned the win, stopping close to 50 shots on goal from the Rangers, by far their season high tally at 49. While the Rangers had plenty of chances in overtime to put this game to bed, going 0 for 3 on the power play in regulation ended up really costing them and a spectacular night from Montembeault didn’t do them any favors.

The Rangers are back at it with another Canadian team on Monday Night, however this time they’ll be back on Garden ice as they play host to one of the top teams in the Western Conference, the Vancouver Canucks.