Until Buffalo's Patrick Kaleta crosschecked Brad Richards into the board in the third period Sunday, the Rangers looked well on their way to another listless performance. They trailed by a goal and had shown few signs of life against one of the few teams below them in the Eastern Conference standings. But in the next 50 seconds, the Rangers put in two goals (one from Derek Stepan and the other from Rick Nash) to wrestle control of the game. They'd give up a game-tying goal and didn't win until the shootout, but their eventual 3-2 victory was their second in as many games after a four-game losing skid.
The good: Rick Nash is back. Is there any doubt that he is the best offensive player on the team? He had a game-high 12 shots (and one goal) in Thursday's 4-1 win over Tampa Bay. Since returning from a four-game absence—likely due to a concussion—Nash has two goals and two assists to go along with his shootout goal Sunday night. Even when he's not scoring, he displays skating and puck-handling skills that are unmatched by his Rangers teammates. That the Rangers' four-game losing streak coincided with Nash's absence is not a coincidence.
In their win over Tampa Bay on Thursday, the Rangers got off to their best start this season. They took 20 of the first 21 shots in a dominant stretch and had a 2-0 lead to show for their efforts. The game stayed close after a Lightning goal, and it had some tense moments, but for the first 15 minutes, the Rangers showed how dangerous and efficient they could be.
The bad: When Stepan and Nash scored 47 seconds part, they marked the first time this season the Rangers bagged two power-play goals in the same game. The recent run of success with a man advantage means they are sixth-worst in the league. Progress!
The ugly: For once, this section is reserved for the actions of an opponent, not the Rangers' effort on the ice. Kaleta's hit on Richards pushed the forward head first into the boards. Despite lying prone on the ice in an awkward position, Richards was able to return to the game. Kaleta received a five-game suspension.
Rangers fans should hope he avoided serious injury and didn't play through a concussion. Hockey players are tough, sometimes too tough. The game is dangerous enough as it is. Full-speed collisions will lead to head injuries even when they're so-called "clean" hits. But hits like the one from Kaleta, who has a history of nasty play, deserve suspensions. "It's disgusting. It's a lack of respect," head coach John Tortorella said. Richards did not practice Monday, but he and the Rangers said he avoided any head or neck injuries.
Up Next: The Rangers find themselves in the middle of five games in eight days. After hosting the Flyers on Tuesday, they visit the Islanders on Thursday, host the Senators on Friday and travel to Washington to face the Capitals on Sunday. The Rangers are in ninth place in the Eastern Conference, but they have three games in hand on eighth-place Philadelphia.
