A thrilling match took place as the Rangers faced off against the Canadiens, culminating in a 5-4 overtime defeat.
The game featured numerous goals, intense fights, remarkable saves, several lead changes, and breakaway chances, providing excitement for both teams.
Despite the loss, the Rangers maintained their point streak, extending it to eight games with a record of 5-0-3 during this stretch.
While there were four ties throughout the contest, the Rangers only trailed once when Montreal’s Patrick Laine scored the game-winner in overtime, marking his 12th goal of the season in just 18 games.
This setback was particularly frustrating for the Rangers, who let another potential victory slip through their fingers.
The defeat mirrored a previous 5-4 overtime loss they experienced against the Stars, where they held a 3-0 lead before allowing Dallas to come back and finally win.
Key Moments for the Rangers
Despite missing a point, the Rangers still secured a vital point, bringing their total to 48 points. They are currently tied with the Philadelphia Flyers and trail the Columbus Blue Jackets by three points for the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.
The Rangers have not lost a game in regulation at Madison Square Garden since December 22, with their last regulation defeat occurring against the Chicago Blackhawks on January 4.
On a positive note, following Sunday’s match, seven of the Rangers’ remaining nine games before the Four Nations Face Off tournament in mid-February will be played at home in front of their fans at MSG.
Stellar Performance by Jonathan Quick
Although Jonathan Quick missed the opportunity for his 400th career win for the third straight time, he delivered an impressive performance throughout the night.
The three-time Stanley Cup champion recorded 33 saves, reaching over 30 saves for the third time in his last four starts. The Canadiens could have scored more if not for Quick’s outstanding play from the beginning to the end of the match.
He made several remarkable stops, particularly in the third period, where he had 15 saves. A standout moment occurred late in the first period when Quick, having lost his goalie stick during a scrum, utilized a player’s stick to make a save, preserving the Rangers’ 2-1 lead.
Quick will have additional chances to secure his milestone, as the Rangers have two upcoming back-to-backs—February 1 against the Boston Bruins and February 2 against the Vegas Golden Knights, or February 7 against the Pittsburgh Penguins and February 8 at the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Among active goaltenders in the NHL, Quick ranks third in wins with 399, trailing Marc-Andre Fleury and Sergei Bobrovsky. He leads all U.S.-born goalies with nearly 100 more wins than the closest active American-born goaltender, Connor Hellebuyck, who has 303 wins.
Rangers Forwards Find Scoring Touch
In Saturday’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Rangers faced a challenging situation, finishing with only 26 shots in regulation and overtime, scoring their sole goal in a shootout victory.
Quebec native Alexis Lafreniere made a triumphant return to his hometown by opening the scoring with his 12th goal of the season, a relief after managing only three goals in his previous 27 games leading up to Sunday night.
When the Canadiens equalized at 1-1, the Rangers quickly responded with a goal from Will Cuylle just 46 seconds later, taking advantage of a Montreal turnover to find the net and ending a 15-game goal drought.
Mika Zibanejad helped the Rangers regain the lead by breaking a 2-2 tie with a power-play goal, concluding a seven-game stretch without a goal. Though Chris Kreider did not receive an assist on the play, his presence effectively screened Canadiens goalie Jakub Dobes.
Tensions Rise Between Teams
Tensions flared early in the second period as Matt Rempe and Arber Xhekaj exchanged punches after a heated first period.
Standing at 6-foot-7 and weighing 241 pounds, Rempe faced off against Xhekaj, who is 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds, and both landed blows until the referees intervened.
After the fight, the Canadiens received a power play but were unable to capitalize. However, they quickly tied the game at 2-2 once the teams returned to even strength.
The on-ice drama continued, leading to the Rangers’ only power-play goal of the night, with Zibanejad scoring to give the Blueshirts a 3-2 lead midway through the second period.
As this marked the third and final meeting of the season between these two Eastern Conference teams, fans can expect another matchup between Rempe and Xhekaj in the upcoming season.
