The New York Rangers (24-22-4) faced off against the Boston Bruins (25-22-6) in a game with significant playoff implications for both teams. In a crushing 6-3 defeat, the Rangers dropped another two crucial points—points they desperately needed in the playoff race. This loss is even more frustrating given the team’s clear decision to go all in this season by trading for J.T. Miller while sitting outside of a playoff spot, despite opting not to do so last season when they were the best regular season team in the league.
Game Recap
After both teams traded chances early in the first period, Urho Vaakanainen took an offensive-zone cross-checking penalty. The Rangers successfully killed off most of the minor, but Ryan Lindgren was then sent to the box for cross-checking Matthew Poitras. As the first penalty expired, Charlie McAvoy ripped a one-timer past Igor Shesterkin, giving the Bruins a 1-0 lead. Just over 30 seconds later, new addition J.T. Miller responded with a one-timer off a feed from Artemi Panarin, tying the game at one. With five minutes left in the period, Lindgren drew a hooking penalty, sending the Rangers to the power play. However, right after Boston killed it off, David Pastrnak capitalized on a pass from Poitras in front of the net, restoring the Bruins’ lead at 2-1 with just under three minutes remaining in the first.
Just over three minutes into the second period, Brad Marchand carried the puck behind the net, and after a shot from the point by Andrew Peeke, Charlie Coyle tipped it past Shesterkin to extend the Bruins’ lead to 3-1. Late in the period, Will Borgen was penalized for tripping, and Pavel Zacha capitalized on the ensuing power play, making it 4-1. Shortly after the goal, Marchand interfered with Vaakanainen, giving the Rangers a power play in the closing moments of the period. Though they couldn’t convert, they would carry 40 seconds of power play time into the start of the third.
Related: Canucks Trade J.T. Miller to Rangers for Filip Chytil
As the third period began with the Rangers still on the power play, J.T. Miller tipped home a pass from Mika Zibanejad, cutting the deficit to two. However, just seconds later, Pastrnak beat Shesterkin for a goal the Rangers’ netminder should have stopped, immediately restoring Boston’s three-goal lead. Four minutes into the period, the Bruins were called for too many men,…
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