Igor Shesterkin’s strong play continues as the New York Rangers get by the Boston Bruins

 

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By Jordan Laroche

The New York Rangers survive a strong early surge by the Boston Bruins to win 5-2.

Both teams came into this Thanksgiving Special strong, the Rangers having won four of their last five, and the Bruins winning three of their last five.

The Bruins opened the scoring Friday afternoon with Craig Smith forcing a turnover at the Rangers blueline and burying it past Igor Shesterkin. Boston seemed to have all the momentum before Ryan Strome got open in the slot and putting it past Jeremy Swayman off a nifty feed from Artemi Panarin.

But as the second period commenced, it was more of the same as Boston held a 23-9 shot advantage halfway through the period. Patrice Bergeron capitalized on a wide-open tip in, in front of the net as it looked like Boston was taking a hold of the game. The Rangers seemed to have flipped a switch after the goal as Dryden Hunt scored his second of the year off a juicy rebound from Swayman’s left pad.

The Rangers continued to battle back as they clawed back in the shot count finishing the period with 24 shots to Boston’s 29.

The Ranger’s persistence came through in the third period as it seemed they outlasted the Bruins as Artemi Panarin was found open in front of the net by Julien Gauthier. Gauthier has been having a recent coming out party, he has seemed to have earned a more permanent spot in the lineup and taken his game to a new level after being a regular scratch earlier this season.

Alexis Lafreniere was the benefactor of another strong play by Gauthier as he beat Jakub Zboril to a loose puck in the neutral zone creating a two on one for him and Lafreniere. But Boston wasn’t going away, after Panarin’s goal they would have the next four shots on net and continued to keep the Rangers in their own end. Igor Shesterkin would make a series of saves to close out the game before Jacob Trouba scored on the empty net.

After a lot of tinkering with their third line, Gerard Gallant seems to have found a group that can generate offense consistently and keep possession. Alexis Lafreniere-Filip Chytil-Julien Gauthier are all quick players with a lot of skill and seem to have good chemistry playing together.

Box Score:

1^st period

Craig Smith (2)

Ryan Strome (3) – Artemi Panarin (16) Dryden Hunt (2)

2^nd period

Patrice Bergeron (8) – Matt Gryzelcyk (3) Brad Marchand (14)

Dryden Hunt (2) – Ryan Lindgren (2) Adam Fox (16)

3^rd period

Aertemi Panarin (5) – Julien Gauthier (2) Ryan Strome (11)

Alexis Lafreniere (5) – Julien Gauthier (3) Adam Fox (17)

Jacob Trouba (3)