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New York Rangers Year in Review: Top Five Games of 2016
Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
The New York Rangers have won their fair share of games in 2016.. There were blowouts and heart-stoppers along the way, but wins are wins. In Blue Line Station’s second “Top 5” of the 2016 season, let’s take a look at the Top 5 Games of 2016 for the Rangers.
New York had an up and down 2016, struggling in the latter portion of the 2015-16 campaign. However, there were plenty of exciting games to choose from in determining the Top 5 Games of 2016.
Let’s take a look at which games wowed us the most.
Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
5. 11/3/16- Rangers 5, Oilers 3-
The Edmonton Oilers were all the rage when the Rangers welcomed them to Madison Square Garden on November 3rd. Despite a polarizing offseason, Edmonton kicked off their 2016-17 campaign with a 7-2-1 record before meeting the Rangers. New York owned a 7-3 record heaidng into the contest.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins opened the scoring with an early power-play goal, but his tally was quickly matched by a Kevin Hayes goal. The two teams swapped goals in the second period, sending the contest into the third at an even score.
In the third, the Oilers took their third lead of the game. Shortly after, Jesper Fast evened the score with his first tally of the season. New York was down three times in the game, and came back all three times.
Finally with 1:21 remaining in the third period, Rick Nash slid the puck past former Ranger Cam Talbot to hand the Rangers a 4-3 lead. Nash, normally reserved, celebrated the goal with plenty of emotion.
A beautiful J.T. Miller bank shot from his own zone into the Oilers empty net finished off the win, as New York came out on top in the back and forth game. Oilers phenom Connor McDavid was held to one point and a -3 rating.
Mandatory Credit: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports
4. 12/18/16- Rangers 3, Devils 2 (SO)
Despite sleep-walking through the majority of the game, the Rangers managed to turn the recent victory into a thrilling one. New York’s last win came in comeback fashion, as the Rangers battled back from 1-0 and 2-1 deficits.
Former Ranger P.A. Parenteau opened the scoring in the 2nd period, the only goal of the period. Heading into the third the Rangers were held in check, quietly coasting throughout the game.
Chris Kreider had other ideas. The speedster worked his way to the front of the Devils net, taking a beautiful Mats Zuccarello pass and converting it for the game-tying goal.
The tie was short lived, as Miles Wood put the Devils back on top a few minutes later. The Rangers appeared destined to be defeated, but awoken at the same time. The pushes for the game tying goal finally paid off when Ryan McDonagh‘s wrister deflected off of Derek Stepan‘s stick and into the net with 1:13 remaining.
After a thrilling back and forth overtime period, the game worked its way into a shootout. In the shootout, Mats Zuccarello and Kevin Hayes worked their magic to give the Rangers a come from behind victory against the rival Devils.
Mandatory Credit: Derik Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
3. 2/6/16- Rangers 3, Flyers 2 (SO)-
The first entry from the 2015-16 campaign serves as a similar victory as the previous slide. Against a rival team, the Rangers fell behind twice and came back each time, eventually winning in a shootout after a late game-tying goal.
This time against the Flyers, the Rangers fell down 1-0 after two periods on a Shayne Gostisbehere power-play goal.
Chris Kreider evened the score (notice the similarities yet?), but Ryan White quickly re-upped the score in the Flyers’ favor. The Rangers were stymied by Steve Mason for the majority of the third period, but New York found a way to knot up the score late in the period.
Keith Yandle‘s booming slapper evened the score with 13 seconds remaining, a thrilling comeback for New York. Overtime left the game tied, and Derek Stepan and Mats Zuccarello goals won the game for the Rangers.
Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-USA TODAY Sports
2. 1/19/16- Rangers 3, Canucks 2 (OT)-
J.T. Miller was the hero in the first overtime game of the Top Five. Miller’s goal capped off another Rangers comeback, this time in a game in which New York dominated throughout. Ryan Miller stood between the Rangers and a blow-out victory, stopping 46 shots in the game.
Vancouver led 2-1 heading into the third period, with the Rangers owning the possession game.
Mats Zuccarello found a way to even up the scoring in the third, paving the way for an exciting 3 on 3 overtime period. New York out-shot Vancouver 19-3 in regulation and overtime, so it was no wonder the the Rangers squeaked out a victory.
J.T. Miller ripped a shot off of Ryan Miller’s pad, then wrapped around the rebound for the game-winning goal, ending a thrilling victory for the Rangers in impressive fashion.
Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
1. 12/9/16- Rangers 1, Blackhawks 0 (OT)-
The two best teams in hockey met up for an expected thriller, and the pair did not disappoint. Backup goalies Scott Darling and Antti Raanta manned the nets for the Blackhawks and Rangers respectively, but they would go on to own the game as well.
Darling and Raanta swapped spectacular saves throughout the game, frustrating two of the top offenses in the NHL. The games was chances galore back and forth despite the lack of scoring in regulation, a further testament to the tremendous goaltending.
The game found its way to overtime, when the Rangers solved Scott Darling for the first time. Ryan McDonagh swapped off the ice for Nick Holden, who went uncovered as he joined the play. Holden took a pass and worked his 1 on 0 attempt past Darling for a Rangers victory.
New York’s win served as not only a confidence builder for the club, but also as a reminder that games do not need to be high scoring affairs to excite.
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