The Connecticut-born Blueshirts fan, who once dreamed of playing at Madison Square Garden, secured his first shutout as a New York Ranger. In a near-surprise move, Peter Laviolette favoured the veteran presence of Jonathan Quick over star netminder Igor Shesterkin.
The Connor McDavid-less Edmonton Oilers were in desperate need of generating any kind of offence. On a night when the Oilers added Craig Huddy and Doug Weight to their ring of honour, Rogers Arena was in store for a great show. One would have thought that the main attraction on this night would be the greatest player to come out of Germany, Leon Draisaitl. Yet, the star of this show would be a 37-year-old netminder for the opposition. Consider us all bamboozled.
Jonathan Quick Strikes Oil in First Shutout as a Blueshirt
While following the coverage of yesterday’s morning skate, there was no clear indication of who the starter would be. If you asked fellow Ranger beat writers, they all would have assumed that Shesterkin would get the nod and Laviolette would keep feeding the hot hand. Instead, he went with the veteran Quick, who looked sharp in his start against the Seattle Kraken this past Saturday.
If you asked me, the opportunity for Quick to get another start on this road trip would have been on Monday when the Rangers head to Winnipeg to take on the Jets. Looking back on it, it was a great decision to start the three-time Stanley Cup winner against a struggling Oilers team.
Jay Woodcroft’s squad has been struggling, coming into the Rangers matchup with a record of 1-4-1. Their last loss, before last night, was a 7-4 defeat at the hands of the Minnesota Wild. Let’s not forget the obvious: this team has been without their captain Connor McDavid for a few games now, as he continues to sit out due to an upper-body injury. Laviolette trusted his experienced backup against a team in a vulnerable position. Quick’s 29-save performance not only earned him his first shutout as a Ranger but also his first Broadway Hat.
(Jonathan’s Version) pic.twitter.com/q8piHr1oEl
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) October 27, 2023
In just two starts, with both being on this road trip, Quick has impressed many. No pun intended, but he truly is quick inside of his crease. Not only is he quick moving from post to post, but also in his ability to stop shots coming off of cross-crease passes. He’s beginning to show signs of the Jonathan Quick of old, one that Rangers fans know all too well.
Adam Fox: A Two-Way Masterclass
More times than not, the past Norris Trophy winners are usually the defencemen with the most points at the end of the season. Erik Karlsson’s miraculous performance last season earned him the honours. Yet, in its description, the Norris Trophy is given to the best defenceman who shows “all-around ability”. Last night proved that Adam Fox should be a Norris nominee in every season when healthy.
There are only a few Rangers who just reek of confidence whenever they are on the puck, Fox tends to be one of them. His vision is superb, only to be described as Leetch-esque. Usually the powerplay quarterback, Fox found himself in Mika Zibanejad’s office last night, firing a one-timer from a Vincent Trocheck pass. It might have been a change-up, but his powerplay tally deceived the likes of Edmonton netminder Stuart Skinner.
Foxy with the finish for a 🗣️ POWER PLAY GOAL. pic.twitter.com/VZCfc4NWYp
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) October 27, 2023
Along with his two-point night, Fox also led the team in time on ice with a whopping 21:16. This is now considered normal on any given matchday. As a team, you need to have that reliable defenceman who can lock down any star and also generate the offence. The Rangers now have that in the form of the man from Jericho, NY.
Live, Laf, Love
My last few articles have mentioned the play of Alexis Lafrenière. The streak will continue here. What else can be said about the former first-overall pick? He seems to be loving life on the second line with Artemi Panarin and Filip Chytil. He even showed off some dance moves last night after notching his fifth of the season on a gorgeous, patient feed from The Breadman.
Don’t worry, Laffy hit the dance pic.twitter.com/DX5yKRO8Og
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) October 27, 2023
The phrase “iron sharpens iron” exemplifies the current form of Lafrenière. No disrespect to the once “Kid Line”, but the three are so similar regarding their playing styles. A player like Lafrenière needed to be on a line with someone who is considered to be one of the best forwards in the National Hockey League. Someone who can find him through even the tightest of windows, especially when in need of a goal. The line continues to stay in form on this road trip. The Garden Faithful cannot wait to see this line once again under the iconic ceiling of Madison Square Garden.
The Rangers will look to make it four consecutive wins on Saturday when they take on the Vancouver Canucks. Puck drop from Rogers Place is scheduled for 10 p.m. EST.
Main Photo Credit: Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports
