J.T. Miller’s debut was successful from an individual standpoint on Saturday, but his two goals weren’t enough to overcome another rough defensive performance by his new team, the New York Rangers.
Losers of three straight following a 10-game point streak (7-0-3), the Rangers hope Miller’s first home game of his second stint with the team comes with a better result on Sunday, when they host the slumping Vegas Golden Knights.
The Rangers have been outscored 15-7 in their losing streak after a stretch in which they allowed more than three goals on only two occasions. Their rough week ended with a 6-3 loss to the host Boston Bruins on Saturday.
Miller on Sunday will play his first home game as a member of the Rangers since Feb. 25, 2018. He was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning and then spent five-plus seasons with the Vancouver Canucks before being traded Friday.
On Saturday, Miller scored a tying goal midway into the first period and added a power-play tally 35 seconds into the third.
“It’s obviously exciting, the talent he has and the player he is, a player with experience and the skill,” New York center Mika Zibanejad said. “It’s exciting to have him here. We’re excited to have him.”
According to Miller, the feeling is mutual.
“I couldn’t be happier to be here now,” said Miller, 31. “It’s been one of the best teams in the league. I’m excited about trying to get them back in the playoff picture here.”
The Golden Knights suffered a 2-1 setback to the Rangers on Jan. 11, and that meeting is part of a 3-6-3 stretch. Vegas preceded this slide with 13 wins in 15 games.
On Thursday, Tomas Hertl scored 4:58 into the contest, but Vegas could not add on and took a 2-1 overtime loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Two nights earlier, the Golden Knights scored 1:54 into the game and held a two-goal lead before dropping a 4-3 OT decision to the Dallas Stars.
Vegas was held to under 30 shots on goal in four straight games.
“We just got to find ways to generate more offense, more looks, and just get back to the way it was at the beginning of the year, which is a lot of traffic, point shots, tips, things like that,” defenseman Noah Hanifin said. “We’ve got a big, big group up front, and we’ve got some D that can move.”
A day after the loss to Columbus, the Golden Knights signed Brandon Saad to a one-year contract after he parted ways with the St. Louis Blues.
Saad is a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the 2013 and 2015 Chicago Blackhawks. He recorded seven goals and 16 points in 43 games for St. Louis before joining the Golden Knights.
If Saad plays on Sunday, he will join a group missing William Karlsson for the past five games with a lower-body injury along with a lineup that has seen captain Mark Stone score twice in his past 12 games.
–Field Level Media
