It was a full team effort in the New York Rangers’ dominant 7-2 onslaught of the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night. Going into this matchup, the Rangers were coming off of a 4-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. To start the game, the Canadiens were caught sleeping, and the Rangers took full advantage, scoring four quick goals in the first period. While Montreal found their legs in the second period, the Rangers did what great teams do and gathered themselves and continued to dominate the game from the middle of the second period until the final buzzer sounded after a brief tough stretch. The key in New York’s victory was their depth. Every offensive line contributed in a substantial way that was noticeable for all to see. “We got a lot out of all the lines right from the drop of the puck, so maybe the best team win of the year,” Peter Laviolette said. “I just thought consistency from all lines was really good.” A specific line that really jumped out as most impressive was that of Filip Chytil, Kaapo Kakko and Will Cuylle. Each forward had multi-point nights while they generated a ton of high quality offensive chances, which caught the eye of Laviolette. “That line was really good,” Laviolette said. “I mean they’ve been good. When you're good and you're doing the right things, eventually you’ll get rewarded if you keep doing the right things. They’ve been playing the game the right way and tonight, they factored that in offensively.” This game also marked the return of Ryan Lindgren from a jaw injury. Despite not recording any points on the night, having Lindgren back in the lineup was huge for the Rangers and it truly showed in the team’s defensive game. “It was awesome to have him back in there,” Laviolette said about Lindgren. “He’s a real good defender and plays heavy minutes and hard minutes for us. Jumping back in for the first time is never an easy thing, but I thought he played a pretty good game for coming back in.” The Rangers proved how dominant and dynamic they are. The way this team was able to turn the switch in a second, their ability to control possession time in the offensive zone and capitalize on other players’ mistakes should be a scary sign for opposing teams. Through six games, the Rangers are still yet to lose a game in regulation and are once again playing like the best team in hockey. Stan Fischler talks about Matt Rempe. Their toughest test will be on Thursday night though against the Florida Panthers in what will be an Eastern Conference Finals rematch.
