Hartnett: Rangers Pass Test 1 Against Ducks, Turn Attention To Kings
By Sean Hartnett
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The Rangers passed a big test against a physical Western Conference power late Wednesday night, beating the Ducks in Anaheim.
But to prove they're for real, the Blueshirts must repeat the feat Thursday against the loaded Los Angeles Kings in the middle game of their road trip.
Lately, it has been hard to tell if Jekyll or Hyde will show up. Before heading out on their trip the Rangers (87 points in 70 games) had put in below-par performances in losses to the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins, relinquishing late goals and generally lacking execution and speed. Their lull in play had allowed the Islanders to jump into a second-place tie in the Metropolitan Division.
The Isles were idle Wednesday, but will be back in action Thursday at Nashville. They have two games in hand on the Rangers.
On Wednesday, the Rangers raised the bar to the standard expected of an Eastern Conference contender. They played with tremendous spirit and rediscovered their shutdown defensive zone prowess against a Ducks team that has been red-hot in the second half, especially at home.
In other words, the Blueshirts looked playoff-ready.
In the postseason they are going to need contributions from players not normally expected to provide offense. Kevin Klein stepped up Wednesday night, notching both goals in the 2-1 come-from-behind victory.
The Rangers are also going to need all their lines clicking and the fourth line has been a question mark throughout much of the season. Playing alongside Viktor Stalberg, Dominic Moore and Tanner Glass raised their play against Anaheim. Glass left his mark all over the place, registering 10 hits and the primary assist on Klein's first goal.
Of huge importance is how impressive Rick Nash has looked during his first three games back following a 20-game absence due to a troublesome deep bone bruise in his left leg. Although Nash has not produced a single point, he has provided plenty of speed and energy while playing intelligent, effective hockey at both ends of the ice.
Paired with Mats Zuccarello and Derick Brassard, Nash should give the line a much-required defensive conscience. The trio has been highly effective in the past and looked good with and without the puck against Anaheim.
Over time, Nash should regain his hands and prove why he has been such an important component in the Rangers' offense. That could start Thursday as he has registered 11 points, including five goals, in his last 11 games against Los Angeles.
Henrik Lundqvist will get the call in net Thursday. In eight regular season games against Los Angeles, Lundqvist is 3-4-1 with a 2.47 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage. However, he has been much better of late against the Kings, posting a 1.01 GAA and a .966 SV percentage in his last two appearances.
The Rangers are 8-5-1 in the second game of back-to-backs this season. They'll have yet another chance to bury Mr. Hyde and show they're capable of playing with the consistency expected of a genuine Stanley Cup contender.
Follow Sean on Twitter at @HartnettHockey
