NEW YORK — Rangers coach Gerard Gallant had tried being patient, but eventually, he had to do something. He’s been shaking things up more and more, trying all kinds of new line combinations. Maybe this time, he’s finally found something.
Late in the second period, with the Rangers trailing by a goal, Gallant moved his two Kid Line wingers, Alexis Lafreniere and Kaapo Kakko, up to the first line, flanking center Mika Zibanejad. And in a desperate third period before an anxious Madison Square Garden crowd, it worked out.
K’Andre Miller’s first goal of the season, at 4:28 of the third period, tied things up, and then Lafrenière deflected in a shot by Zibanejad to break the tie before Chris Kreider’s shorthanded goal provided some necessary insurance and the Rangers ended a two-game losing streak by beating the St. Louis Blues, 6-4 Monday night at the Garden.
The victory lifted the Rangers to 12-10-5 and sent them off on a two-game trip to Las Vegas r to play the Golden Knights, the top team in the Western Conference, on Wednesday, followed by a Friday visit to Denver to play the Stanley Cup champion Avalanche. They’re in a lot better shape going on the road off a win than they would have been had they not staged their third-period comeback against the Blues.
Lafreniere, who’d been in the penalty box when the Blues scored late in the second to take a 4-3 lead, was in the slot and got his stick on a shot flipped in by Zibanejad for his fourth goal of the season at 8:16 of the third period. Kreider stole the puck in center ice and went in and scored on a breakaway at 14:04 to seal it.
Before the game, Kakko had talked about all the moving around he’s been doing within the Rangers lineup the last few weeks, and tha it is not ideal for him.
“I understand we need to do something because we're not winning the games, so you need to do something, as a coach,’’ the 21-year-old forward said at the morning skate. “I understand that. I think sometimes, it takes some time when you start playing with guys you’re not used to playing with. But, yeah, it is what it is.’’
Kakko played the first 14 games of the season on the top line, with Zibanejad and Kreider, and enjoyed what was clearly the finest start he’s had to a season in his four-year NHL career. He had three goals and three assists and was creating chances galore for himself and his linemates.
But with the team 6-5-3 after a 6-5 loss to the Islanders at the Garden Nov. 8, Gallant changed up his forward lines, reuniting the Kid Line of Kakko, Filip Chytil and Lafreniere for the game in Detroit Nov. 10. The Rangers won that game, 8-2, and Gallant decided to stick with Jimmy Vesey as his first-line right wing.
But late in the second period Monday, with the Rangers trailing 4-3 and staring a third consecutive loss in the face, Gallant made the line change with Kakko and Lafreniere. The two youngsters had started with Barclay Goodrow as their center, but Gallant switched Zibanejad and Goodrow, putting the latter between Kreider and Vesey.
The Rangers had started the game off well enough, taking the lead on a goal by Braden Schneider at 17:14 of the first period. Pavel Buchnevich tied the score at 1 with his ninth goal of the season at 18:24, but a power-play goal by Adam Fox put the Rangers back in front at 19:32.
Vladimir Tarasenko scored 12 seconds into the second period to tie it, 2- but Vincent Trocheck tipped in a shot by Artemi Panarin to put the Rangers back in front at 1:07 of the period and at that point, it seemed the Rangers would build on that.
But they didn’t. Instead, Lafreniere took a holding penalty and Jordan Kyrou scored on the power play to tie it at 11:04 of the period. And 1:31 later, Ryan O’Reilly got to a rebound and popped it in to make it 4-3 Blues.
