New York Rangers' Top Five Goals Against All-Star Goalies
Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
The New York Rangers have been an offense-based team for the majority of the 2016-2017 season. A lot of those goals, whether from veterans or from young players, have come against goaltenders who have made it to the All-Star team. Here’s a look at the top five.
They’re names we’ve all heard: Martin Jones, Mike Smith, Tuukka Rask, Braden Holtby, Carey Price. A lot of these goaltenders are the backbones of their respective franchises. They get them out of tough stretches and are the reason for much of their successes. Take Holtby, for example, who led his team to leading the incredibly challenging Metropolitan Division and winning the President’s Trophy last season.
Martin Jones helped the Sharks to their first Western Conference Championship in the team’s 25-year history. Tuukka Rask is doing his best to keep his team in the playoff race, and Carey Price, in his return, has restored the Canadiens to the top place in the Atlantic Division after missing the playoffs last season.
Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
5.) Matt Puempel Against Mike Smith
On December 29th, 2016, Puempel recorded his first career hat trick. The Rangers were playing well, and the young player decided to take advantage of the fun of the night.
The greatest part of the game for him was that he had never even scored a power play point, let alone have three power play goals all in the same night. His first goal came just 2:24 into the game, and 14:40 into the third, he found the net again. It looked as if the game would end by a final score of 5-3, but Puempel struck again with an empty-netter with 17 seconds left.
However, the best goal was his second, which put the Rangers up 4-3 after giving up a lead heading into the third period. McDonagh ripped a shot from the point that found Puempel in front of the net for a deflection past Smith.
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4.) Chris Kreider Against Martin Jones
It was early in the season when Kreider started to prove to everyone exactly how much he had improved from the previous season. On October 17th, 2016, Kreider, with his goal and assist, helped the New York Rangers to a hectic 7-4 win at the Garden over the defending Western Conference Champion San Jose Sharks.
Going 1/3 on the power play in the game was the Rangers, and it was Kreider at 10:21 of the second period that found the back of the net. The goal put the Rangers up 3-1, and an unlikely player notched a point on this one, as well.
In his season debut, Antti Raanta picked up an assist on Kreider’s third of the season after giving the puck to McDonagh. Kreider took it up ice and scored from a sharp angle, beating Jones top shelf. Here’s a look at the tough-angle goal:
Mandatory Credit: Michael Ivins-USA TODAY Sports
3.) Derek Stepan Against Tuukka Rask
At that point in the season, the Rangers led the NHL in goals scored per game and kept on rolling, averaging over four goals. What they hadn’t done since March of 2014 was score two short-handed goals in the same game. Well, it happened on November 5th of 2016.
Stepan’s first goal of the season started the short-handed scoring off. 17:59 into the first period, Stepan took advantage of a good play by Dan Girardi. Girardi deflected the puck out of danger in the Rangers’ zone, and Michael Grabner flew up the ice on a two on one with Stepan.
The puck slid off the stick of Rask and the skate of Stepan, finally finding the back of the net and giving the Rangers a 2-1 lead.
Kevin Hayes scored the other short-handed goal early in the second period. The Rangers finished off the game with a power-play goal, two short-handed goals, and two even-strength goals in route to a 5-2 road victory.
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2.) J.T. Miller Against Carey Price
Although the Rangers would ultimately end up losing this game, 5-4, on January 14th, 2017, this goal is definitely one of the best they have scored at the Bell Centre against the Canadiens’ star goaltender, Price. Take a look:
The Rangers had just taken a penalty, but the dynamic duo of Hayes and Miller, known to their team as power-killers, broke out on a two on one. Hayes faked making a drop pass and got the best of Price as Miller received the puck and wasted no time putting it behind him. The Rangers took a 3-2 lead heading into the third period.
Some sloppy final period play saw them give up three goals in the span of 1:02. Although Stepan would end up netting another for his team, they couldn’t find the equalizer. That doesn’t take away from Hayes’ great play and Miller’s spectacular finish, though.
Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
1.) Jimmy Vesey Against Braden Holtby
Despite his offensive struggle as of late, goals like these are a reminder that the young forward, Vesey, truly does possess much talent. On October 22nd, 2016, the Rangers found themselves down and did what they do best, come up resilient and skate off with a win.
Down 2-0 after one period of play at the Verizon Center, the Rangers were able tie the game up on a power play goal from Vesey. However, that wasn’t his most impressive goal of the night. A short while later, Vesey combined his strength and skill and drove hard to the net.
With a combination of a few nifty moves, he put the puck on his backhand and slid it past Holtby for the game-winner in what would end up being a 4-2 Rangers’ win.
This game is worth watching a whole replay of, but make sure to pay extra attention to the Rangers’ third goal:
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