Recap: Rangers Defeat Canucks 5-3, Steal Win on Sam Rosen Night

Today's game against the Canucks is the first time the two teams are playing each other since their blockbuster move that sent J.T. Miller back to New York, but to most Rangers fans, that reunion and the actual hockey game are the least of their concerns today. March 22nd in the year of 2025, will forever be remembered for the Rangers' "Salute to Sam." As I'm sure you all know, Sam Rosen, the NYR play-by-play broadcaster for 40 years, is retiring after this season. The longest-tenured NHL broadcaster and Emmy award winner has a special place in most New York Rangers hearts, and he deserves all the accolades and more.

Today's game was aired on NHL Network, so unfortunately, many fans outside the New York Metro area didn't get to see the whole ceremony, but the clip they did air saw Sam take the ice with his wife to a standing ovation joined and honored by longtime associates Joe Micheletti, Phil Esposito and John Davidson. The montage highlighting Sam's career gave me, and I'm sure thousands of viewers, both in person and in the comfort of their own homes, goosebumps. In classic Sam fashion, he spent most of his speech thanking everyone around him, including Al Trautwig, which was a teary moment for most. We'll miss you, Sam.

1st Period

The Rangers came out flat in the first, and Vancouver controlled most of the play from the initial puck drop. The only line that appeared to have life was the fourth line, with Rempe running around like a wrecking ball. He may be gigantic on the ice, but the young player has put in the work to become a hard-working hockey player, and his size isn't the only reason he stands out.

The Canucks held the puck in the Rangers zone for what felt like minutes at a time, as the fourth line stayed on the bench for most of the period. Barely over two minutes of ice time for the only good-looking line in the period; if you haven't begun to question what the heck Laviolette is doing, it's about time you start. The team was not moving their feet, and breaking out of the zone was far more challenging than it had to be.

As the broadcasters were calling out Quinn Hughes being one point away from 400, he made quite the stutter step deke on Rempe, went right around him and deeper into the Rangers zone, and put the puck on net. Dakota Joshua got not one but two whacks at the puck as Fox left the front to try and pressure Hughes, and Joshua got his first of the game; the Canucks went up 1-0.

Not much changed throughout the period as the Canucks continued to have their way with the Blueshirts. The period ended, and the Canucks had outshot the Rangers 11-1. The Rangers retreated to their locker room under a chorus of boos, with the fans clearly not pleased with the team's effort.

2nd Period

The second frame didn't start much differently; the Canucks maintained control of the play almost immediately, and in terms of playing hockey, the Rangers had no answer. Laviolette put his lines into a blender for the second, another sign of a coach panicking without answers. The game was becoming far more physical, with multiple minor penalties being called and the Canucks getting a couple of power-play opportunities.

Igor Shesterkin's frustration is becoming more and more apparent. We began to see it in his last game against the Maple Leafs, when he'd throw up his arms at some boneheaded plays the Rangers' defense made. This game has been markedly worse. It began with an uncalled slash when Igor dropped the puck to play it. The Canucks were offside and should not have gone for the puck when he dropped it, but they did, and Igor let them have it. It escalated from here as he continued to use his stick in Billy Smith fashion and then grabbed Sherwood with his glove, tackling him to the ice. It led to a scramble and a roughing penalty against Igor, for which Laviolette had Kreider serve the minor for some odd reason.

Nothing came from this sequence of penalties, but the Canucks did continue to run up the shot difference, but then, out of nowhere, the Rangers tied the game. A puck battle on the wall of the Canucks defensive zone was won seemingly by Othmann, who batted the puck to Schneider on the point. He wasted no time and wristed the puck on net; Adam Fox got his stick on it and slightly changed the trajectory past Lankinen. This was Othmann's first official NHL point, and on just their fourth shot of the game, we had a tie game. Just a couple of minutes later, the Rangers announcer stated a point correction, giving Othmann's assist to Lafrenière, the poor kid was once again pointless in the NHL.

The period ended with a big scrum that saw battles between Cuylle and DeBrusk and Borgen and Boeser. A pair of penalties were handed out to DeBrusk and Cuylle, but the referees missed a high stick on Borgen by Boeser. After the coaches and captains spoke to the refs, another penalty was announced for Cuylle, and the Rangers were shorthanded again.

3rd Period

The Rangers started the period shorthanded but easily killed off the penalty. Shortly after, Lafrenière made a nifty pass to J.T. Miller, who was cycling behind the Canucks net and placed a perfect pass on a wide-open Jonny Brodzinski's stick, who immediately lifted the puck over Lankinen into the net. On their eighth shot of the game, the Rangers have taken a 2-1 lead.

This second goal gave the Rangers some life. One play, in particular, saw K'Andre Miller make several slick moves with the puck and join the rush in the offensive zone. He almost lost the puck but held onto it and made a difficult pass to Panarin, who was alone in the slot. Panarin was surprised he suddenly had the puck, as he missed the net on a prime opportunity for the Rangers to take a two-goal lead.

Shortly after, the Rangers' fourth line was at it again. Carrick forechecked hard and lifted a stick to grab the puck from an unsuspecting Lankinen. Rempe had a free chance but wasn't able to bury the puck.

A little more than halfway into the period, the Canucks were pressuring the Rangers. Former Ranger Victor Mancini pinched in behind the net and sauced a perfect pass over Brodzinski to O'Connor, who sent the puck on the net. The puck ricocheted around and bounced back to the slot, and O'Connor was able to blast it past Shesterkin to tie the game at two.

About a minute later, on the tenth shot of the game for the Rangers, they took another lead. Trocheck carried the puck into the offensive zone and pivoted to send a pass to K'Andre Miller at an angle no one anticipated. Miller took the puck down the boards and beat Lankinen on a weird angle shot that most thought Othmann kicked at, but the rookie forward missed, and it was Miller's sixth of the season.

Coming back from the commercial break, the Canucks won an offensive zone faceoff, and Boeser grabbed the puck behind the net after K'Andre Miller broke his stick. Boeser wrapped around and tucked the puck through Shesterkin's five-hole.

Just as the MSG announcer was calling the Canucks tying goal, the Rangers struck again. Lafrenière carried the puck into the Canucks zone and made a slick move, backed up onto his heels, he turned and sent a perfect pass to Brodzinski, who put the puck into the back of the net, beating Lankinen on his short side. This was Brodzinski's second of the game and Lafrenière's third assist of the game.

The Canucks pulled Lankinen for the extra attacker to try and tie the game. They created some great opportunities and scrambles in front of the net, but because of heroics by Shesterkin, Trocheck, and Fox, the Blueshirts were able to avoid the tying goal. J.T. Miller, in the corner of the Ranger's zone, sent the puck the length of the ice for their fifth goal of the game and sealed the deal for the Rangers.

Winning this game could be classified as a felony, despite his aggressive frustration showing, Shesterkin was the key reason they took this one, but you know what? On Sam Rosen night, we all deserve this.