The New York Rangers achieved a victory over the Utah Hockey Club with a score of 5-3 on Thursday, marking their sixth consecutive game with at least a point (4-0-2).
Since suffering a 7-4 defeat to the Washington Capitals on January 4, they have earned 10 points out of a possible 12.
This win allows the Rangers to surpass the idle Pittsburgh Penguins (44 points) and puts them four points behind the Bruins (49 points) for the second and final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.
Head Coach Peter Laviolette acknowledged that while securing two wins in a three-game road trip is a positive outcome, the one loss cannot be ignored.
“We’re still frustrated about the one we lost,” Laviolette stated after the game. “It was a good road trip. Even going back prior, I think we’ve been playing some good hockey.
We’ve just got to continue to do that. We’ve got to remember what’s gotten us here. We’ve got to take that into every game, that mindset of what works for us right now. If we can do that, then we’re going to get a chance.”
Key Takeaways from the Rangers’ Victory
Let’s analyze how the Rangers secured their latest win, highlighting four important aspects of the matchup.
1. Arthur Kaliyev Scores First Goal as a Ranger
With only 3:35 left in the first period, Filip Chytil’s shot made its way past Utah goaltender Karel Vejmelka and landed in the crease. Kaliyev charged into the blue paint and nudged the puck into the net, leveling the score for the Rangers and marking his first goal as a Blueshirt.
Kaliyev stands out as the first player born in Uzbekistan in NHL history to score a goal, though he grew up on Staten Island, giving him a local connection to the New York team.
He was claimed off waivers from the Los Angeles Kings on January 6, a move aimed at revitalizing his disappointing season. This decision appears to be fruitful, as the Blueshirts have garnered points in seven of their last eight games (5-1-2).
2. Shesterkin’s Empty-Netter Attempt
As the third period wound down, Utah opted for an empty net while trailing 4-3. At the 18:23 mark, goaltender Igor Shesterkin took a shot that narrowly missed the left side of the goal.
The near-goalie goal energized the crowd at the Delta Center and sparked the Rangers’ offense. Moments later, Artemi Panarin scored his second goal of the evening, solidifying the final score at 5-3.
3. Matt Rempe Benched
To ignite the offensive spark, Coach Laviolette appeared to bench 22-year-old Matt Rempe midway through the second period.
The forward and enforcer logged only 5:33 of ice time on Thursday night in Salt Lake City, his fourth-lowest total for the season.
Will Cuylle stepped in for Rempe on the fourth line, experiencing a boost in ice time from 13:28 against the Avalanche on Tuesday to 16:18 in the game against Utah, thanks to double shifting after taking over Rempe’s role.
4. A Strong Third Period
The Rangers entered the third period down 3-2 and faced a penalty kill, leading many to believe Utah would increase its lead and gain an advantage for the final points.
Just 28 seconds into the period, Reilly Smith’s shot deflected off a Utah stick, finding the back of the net and equalizing the game.
Following Smith’s goal, the momentum shifted in favor of the Rangers, who limited Utah to just five shots on goal during the final 15 minutes, with the opposing team going nearly 11 minutes without registering a shot.
This change in momentum directly led to veteran Chris Kreider netting the game-winning goal, which came right off a faceoff win in the offensive zone on a knuckleball that slipped past Utah’s Karel Vejmelka, occurring less than 30 seconds after their final power play expired.
Panarin’s empty-net goal capped off the third period and the game, sealing the Rangers’ success.
