The New York Rangers know they can pull off comebacks when needed, especially since the numbers back them up.
Even with several comebacks under their belt during their strong opening quarter of the season, the Rangers would like to get off to a quick start Sunday evening to avoid being forced to rally again, especially against the NHL’s worst team.
The Rangers will go for their third straight win Sunday when they host the San Jose Sharks, who are coming off their best win of the season.
New York’s worst showing so far was Monday’s 5-1 home loss to the Buffalo Sabres. The Rangers followed that ugly loss by earning one-goal victories over the Detroit Red Wings and Nashville Predators.
On Wednesday, the Rangers scored twice in the third period to earn a 3-2 win against Detroit, but Saturday’s visit to Nashville proved more difficult to get the two points.
Before rallying for a 4-3 victory, the Rangers were outshot 17-8 in the opening 20 minutes prior to scoring three goals in the second period. Jacob Trouba, Chris Kreider and Vincent Trocheck scored in the second before Ryan Lindgren tallied the game-winner 5:10 into the third.
The Rangers earned their eighth comeback win of the season but the first from a multi-goal deficit. New York also improved to 7-0-0 when tied through two periods.
“The first didn’t go the way we want,” New York coach Peter Laviolette said. “In the second period, I thought we just played a much better period. We played faster, the power play looked sharper, and our guys were more on point and competed hard.
“And then as the game went on, it really became a competitive game, blocking shots, physical, one-on-one battles. I thought our guys did a really good job just crawling back into that game and really gutting one out.”
The Sharks are attempting to win consecutive games for the third time this season, but they have yet to do it on the road.
San Jose ended its season-opening 10-game road losing streak and a 13-game road skid that dated to April 1 in Arizona with an impressive 6-3 win over the New Jersey Devils Friday night.
The Sharks entered their 11th road game getting outscored 42-6 away from home and were coming off a 3-0 loss at Boston on Thursday before erupting for their most goals of the season in a game where they were outshot 47-17.
Jacob MacDonald got his first career two-goal game while Anthony Duclair also scored twice. Mikael Granlund contributed a goal and two assists as 10 players registered at least one point and San Jose’s defense blocked 31 shots.
The win also was a continuation of San Jose’s improved performance of late. Since allowing 10 goals in each of the final two games of their season-opening 11-game losing streak, the Sharks are a respectable 6-6-1 in their past 13 contests.
“I’m happy for our guys. It’s been a tough year, especially on the road,” said Sharks coach David Quinn, who coached the Rangers from 2018 through 2021.”To find a way to win is a tribute to our team.”
The Rangers are 8-0-1 in the past nine meetings.
–Field Level Media
