Author: SFDI

By Jordan Laroche

This was a tough game for New York Ranger fans to watch as the New Jersey Devils were all over them all game. The Rangers are coming off a back-to-back against two of the league’s top teams, the Carolina Hurricanes, and the Tampa Bay Lightning, winning both in very tight contests.  The Rangers seemed to have run out of gas against the Devils.

It was the Rangers who jumped out to an early 2-0 lead on goals by Mika Zibanejad and Adam Fox. Andrew Copp, in his first game with the Rangers since being traded by the Winnipeg Jets, gets his first point as a Ranger with an assist on Fox’s goal. Copp, Tyler Motte and Justin Braun all had big roles tonight as they were all moved up and down the lineup to find their best fit.

Copp started on the third line with Filip Chytil and Dryden Hunt but as the game went on he saw some time with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider, even getting some powerplay time down the stretch. Copp looked to fit in right away with two assists on the night. As Copp moved up in the lineup, Tyler Motte took his spot on the third line and was buzzing all game, taking the puck to the net and taking the body.

Braun skated alongside Patrik Nemeth on the Rangers bottom defensive pair, which raised Rangers fan’s eyebrows. When acquiring Braun, we assumed he would be taking Nemeth’s spot on the line, but the Rangers elected to scratch rookie Braden Schneider. Schneider has been playing himself into the lineup and is deserving of a role on the team, in Schneider’s 26 NHL games he has six points and is a +2, while Nemeth has four points in 49 games and is a -9. While Schneider may have helped the Rangers tonight, it is not the reason why they lost.

It seemed everyone on the team had an off night from the forwards all the way to Hart Trophy candidate, Igor Shesterkin. Shesterkin had a hard time controlling his rebounds and was beaten on the initial shot more than once. This is only one of the few off nights Shesterkin has had in his career, but he has rebounded well in the past and Ranger fans need not worry.

This was a tough one to swallow, but the Rangers will be back Friday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Box Score:

1^st Period

G: Mika Zibanejad (26) A: Chris Kreider (16) Alexis Lafreniere (9)

G: Adam Fox (10) A: Mika Zibanejad (39) Andrew Copp (23)

2^nd Period

G: Ryan Graves (6) A: Jesper Bratt (40)

G: P.K. Subban (5) A: Andreas Johnsson (19) Ty Smith (13)

G: Dawson Mercer (16) A: Ryan Graves (20)

G: Tomas Tatar (12) A: Damon Severson (26) Jesper Bratt (41)

G: Yegor Sherangovich (16) A: Nico Hischer (26) Dougie Hamilton (17)

3^rd Period

G: Ryan Strome (15) A: Artemi Panarin (57) Ryan Lindgren (8)

G: Jack Hughes (20) A: Nico Hischer (27)

G: Jack Hughes (21) A: Yegor Sherangovich (19) P.K. Subban (16)

G: Chris Kreider (42) A: Andrew Copp (24) Adam Fox (54)

 By Neil Becker

 Once again Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Erik Kallgren was the story.

 Two days following a successful Leafs debut which saw him make 35 saves in a 4-0   shutout at Scotiabank Arena against the Dallas Stars, Kallgren showed that it was no fluke.

Kallgren might not have gotten a shutout but he was solid on Thursday night where he made over 30 saves in a 3-2 win at Scotiabank Arena against the Carolina Hurricanes.

In stating the obvious, this was a big win for the Leafs who played a Hurricanes team that is among the favorites to win the Stanley Cup.

Toronto, who are 4-1-1 in their past six games were playing without superstar forward Auston Matthews who was sitting out the second of a two-game suspension.

Kallgren, who is only 25 years old was tested early and often in the first period as he was perfect in saving all 14 Hurricanes shots.

Meanwhile, the Leafs gave him some breathing room when forward Ilya Mikheyev scored his second in two games and 12^th of the season which with a little under five minutes remaining in the first had Toronto out in front by a 1-0 score.

Almost five minutes into the second, the Leafs got a big insurance goal from forward Mitch Marner who received a breakout stretch pass from defenceman Timothy Liljegren before skating on a 2 on 1 break and scoring what was his 24^th goal to double the lead.

The Hurricanes, who are currently four- points up on Toronto snapped Kallgren’s shutout string as defenceman Ethan Bear grabbed a loose puck and just past the four-minute mark wristed it between Kallgren’s legs which cut the deficit to one.

Shortly afterwards the Leafs re-gained that two-goal lead as forward Ondrej Kase on a two on one break scored his 12^th goal at the 7:20 mark off a perfect feed from William Nylander.

Carolina would get one back as forward Vincent Trocheck scored with only 3.6 seconds remaining but it wasn’t enough as the Leafs grabbed two important points.

Heading into the final 20 games, Toronto now sits only five points behind the Florida Panthers for first place in the Atlantic Division.

Toronto will next see action on Saturday night at Bridgestone Arena with a 7 p.m. opening faceoff against the Nashville Predators.

              SCORING SUMMARY

                     1^st. Period                                 CAR-TOR

                     15:48       Ilya Mikheyev (12)        0  –  1

                                     Justin Holl (12)

                     2^nd. Period                                     CAR- TOR

                     4:39         Mitch Marner (24)              0 –  2

                                   John Tavares (38), Timothy Liljegren (16)

                    3^rd. Period                                       CAR- TOR

                     4:09         Ethan Bear (4)                   1  –   2

                                    Jesper Fast (12), Jaccob Slavin (27)

                      7:20        Ondrej Kase (14)                1  –   3

                                    William Nylander (34), Alex Kerfoot (34)

                      19:56       Vincent Trocheck (16)        2  –   3

                                    Andrei Svechnikov (30), Jacob Slavin (28)   

By Neil Becker

Perhaps rookie Erik Kallgren is an answer to the Toronto Maple Leafs goaltending issues.

Okay, maybe it’s a tad premature and not fair to anoint him as the savior, but so far, the 25- year-old has definitely opened eyes among Leafs fans and management.

Kallgren, who last spring inked a two-year two-way contract with the Leafs, made history on Tuesday night at Scotiabank Arena when he made 35 saves in a 4-0 shutout win against the Dallas Stars.

What made this so historic was that Kallgren became only the fourth goalie to earn a shutout in their debut start as a Leaf. Prior to this start, Leafs Nation got their first look at him when back on March 10^th at Scotiabank Arena, he relieved starter Petr Mrazek in the second period against the Arizona Coyotes and made a solid impression by stopping 11 of 12 shots in what turned out to be a 5-4 overtime loss.

Leafs starter Jack Campbell is sidelined for a couple of weeks with a rib injury which resulted in Kallgren getting called up from the Marlies and being presented with this opportunity.

The Leafs, who were still without an injured Jake Muzzin and had Wayne Simmonds sitting out, were also missing star forward Auston Matthews who was serving his first of a two-game suspension for his cross check to the head area of Buffalo Sabres defenceman Rasmus Dahlin at the Heritage Classic.

Having lost consecutive games to non-playoff teams, Toronto were led offensively against Dallas by captain John Tavares, along with fellow forward Mitch Marner and defenceman Morgan Rielly who all had two-point games.

Giving Toronto an early first-period momentum boost was blue-chip defenceman Rasmus Sandin who showcased his accurate shot. Positioned left of the Stars goal crease, Sandin received a pass from Marner and at the 7:22 mark, released an accurate backhand which went over the Stars goalie’s glove for his fifth goal this season.

Meanwhile, Kallgren received numerous ovations as he made a solid opening period impression by turning away 13 shots. Toronto would double their lead after one as captain John Tavares showed his hand-eye coordination by neatly deflecting a William Nylander blast for his 20^th goal which came with under nine minutes remaining in the first.

Following a scoreless second period, the Leafs wasted no time in capitalizing on an early third-period power play as forward Ondrej Kase released a textbook one-timer from a pass by Rielly for his 13^th goal which made it 3-0 less than a minute into the third.

The fourth and final Leaf goal was scored with less than a minute remaining into an open net by forward Ilya Mikheyev with his 11^th in what was a crucial two points for the Leafs.

Toronto won’t have much time to rest as they next play on Thursday at Scotiabank Arena with a scheduled 7 p.m. opening face-off against the Carolina Hurricanes.