How excited should we get now that the Rangers are off and running with a one-game winning streak?
Don't laugh; the 3-2 victory over St.Louis last night at The Garden was a replica of that Dancin' Larry act inflicted on the MSG crowd.
It had twists and turns but – in the end – the Good Guys just barely got two points Credit defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov's all-round effort for that; not Igor Shesterkin. Also, the return of hustling, little Brett Berard.
That's the good news. The bad news is that the Beloveds next are visiting first-place Carolina followed by the surprising Bruins in Boston.
Still, a win is a win even if it's against a St. Louis team with AHL written all over it although had it not been Berard's non-stop hustle, the New York juice machine was next to empty.
Veritable Vinnie pulled his buddies out of Slumberland with a vital first goal and then, guess who got number two?
None other than Alexis Lafrenière, keeping pace with his energetic start last fall that led to his fat contract and homestretch disappearance.
"Who knows – Lafrenière just might stay awake all season," says The Old Scout, "but we shouldn't get too crazy about him until, say February."
Celebrating The 71st Anniversary Of A Gigantic Blueshirts Trade
There won't be any drum rolls at Madison Square Garden today, nor banner-hanging tonight buy maybe there should be.
Only the second win at home, the game will have even more value, if it catapults the Blueshirts back into another solid, winning road run that began the season with such hope.
"Our intentions were in the right place," says coach Mike Sullivan.
Fair enough; the next place will be Raleigh where a strong Canes sextet will put the Rangers to their best test of the campaign
By Thursday morning we'll know if it'll be a Happy Thanksgiving for the boys in faded Blue. Or another turkey for the Gobble-Gobble stickhanders!