Rangers go Wild at MSG
THE RANGERS’ 4-1 WIN over the Minnesota Wild on Sunday night, their first regulation victory in eight games, had the satisfying feel of a grueling, productive day at the office – or, in their case, the Garden.
“We worked our asses off, if I can say that,” said persistent right wing Mats Zuccarello, who scored one of the Blueshirts’ four unanswered goals to overcome a seventh straight game-opening deficit.
“I think we owed the fans this one,” backup goalie Cam Talbot said after making 24 saves in his first start in place of Henrik Lundqvist since Dec. 2.
The fans, who have suffered through a 2-4-2 record during this nine-game homestand that concludes Monday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs, rose to their feet at second intermission in appreciation of a faster and more physical Rangers bunch that had roared back for a 3-1 lead. The Blueshirts (17-18-2) dominated during a span of 30:36 in which they outshot the Wild 24-6. Benoit Pouliot’s second power-play goal i n two games tied it 1-1 late in the first period. Resolute speedster Carl Hagelin scored for the 2-1 lead 11:26 into the second, and then Zuccarello buried a one-timer off a pretty swoop and pass from Derick Brassard (two assists), who now has points in three straight games.
Other than Jason Pominville’s finish off a defensive breakdown 4:08 into the game, Talbot held the fort down while spelling Lundqvist, who desperately needed a night off after struggling through eight consecutive starts since signing his seven-year, $59.5 million contract extension on Dec. 4. The swoon included Friday’s low point, a 5-3 loss to the lowly Islanders.
Lundqvist’s 3-1 win in Buffalo on Dec. 5 had been the Rangers’ last in regulation prior to Sunday and the last time they’d held an opponent to fewer than three goals. The franchise goaltender was a major reason, but not the only one, for the team’s recent swoon. Suddenly on Sunday, in front of Talbot, the team cleaned up its play. Now it’s conceivable Talbot also could start against Toronto, though coach Alain Vigneault wouldn’t say.
“We were able to help Cam there maybe a little bit more than we were able to help (Lundqvist) the last couple games,” Zuccarello admitted.
Though Talbot (7-2-0) went long stretches without facing a shot, he stayed sharp, and made a key save on Wild defenseman Ryan Suter (assist) after an eight-minute drought. Winger Derek Dorsett (assist) wiped away the rebound, leading to Brassard’s push the other way for Zuccarello’s goal.
Chris Kreider added a blooper-reel goal in the third period off the rush, in which his stick was lifted but his harmless shot still slid slowly through the legs of Wild goalie Niklas Backstrom (32 saves). Minnesota fell to 20-13-5.
The Rangers will rest during the NHL’s three-day Christmas break after facing Toronto on Monday. Then they’ll leave on a five-city road trip beginning Thursday night in Washington against the Capitals.
MARC-ED IMPROVEMENT: Defenseman Marc Staal skated on Saturday and Sunday for the first time since his Dec. 8 concussion and said there was “no comparison” between this injury and the symptoms that caused him to miss the first 36 games of the 2011-12 season. Staal does not have a timeline for a return but anticipated he would continue working out through the Christmas break.