TORONTO — Antti Raanta was looking for redemption, and he found it.
The Rangers’ backup goalie was terrific in making 35 saves to help secure a 4-2 win over the Maple Leafs on Thursday night at Air Canada Centre. Raanta was coming off a poor performance in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Kings last Friday, after which he was emotionally distraught.
But against the Leafs, he only allowed one goal off the skate of P.A. Parenteau at 3:58 of the first, and a goal-mouth jam-shot by Colin Greening with 2:30 remaining in the third period when the Toronto net was empty for the extra attacker.
“There’s no doubt that if it wouldn’t have been for Antti, it wouldn’t have been a game,” coach Alain Vigneault said. “We didn’t play well at all in the first period.
He kept us in and we were able to battle back and find a way to win this game on a night when we didn’t play real well.”
Raanta made some terrific saves, especially in the first period when the Rangers were outshot 13-6. But he kept them in it, and Derek Stepan scored the game-winner with 1:31 remaining in the third.
“In the first, we didn’t play so good, so after the game it’s good to think that I was there to make those saves,” said Raanta, whose last win was on Nov. 15. “It was nice to do that for the team, then late in the third period, team helped me. It’s always nice to have this type of win when you know you did something to help the team. So it’s a great feeling and it’s a nice plane trip back to New York now.”
Defenseman Marc Staal returned to the lineup after missing Wednesday’s 5-3 loss to the Blackhawks at the Garden to be with his wife, Lindsay, who gave birth the couple’s second child, a daughter named Emily Jennifer. Staal got to Toronto on Thursday morning, and found his legs as the game went along.
“It was a little more relaxed this second time around,” Staal said, “but there’s no other feeling like it. Anyone who has kids knows, the love you feel for her the minute you see her, it’s incredible.”
Rookie defenseman Dylan McIlrath was a healthy scratch for the first time in five games, making room for Staal’s return. McIlrath struggled mightily against the Blackhawks on Wednesday, yet Vigneault did not sour on his viability.
“Dylan is a young man that is trying to put a the foot in the NHL, trying to get both feet in, and show that he can play in this league on a regular basis,” Vigneault said. “I think he can.I think he’s got the size, the skill set. He’s got everything to be able to play in this league on a regular basis, and he has done a good job for us. He just had a tougher time [Wednesday] night.”
There was no phone call from the NHL to the Rangers in regard to any discipline coming as the result of the slash defenseman Keith Yandle laid on Blackhawks rookie Artemi Panarin in the waning seconds on Wednesday night.
Panarin got his second goal of the game on a power play that resulted from a Yandle holding call. After Panarin finished his first career hat trick into the empty net, Yandle took a swing at the rookie’s feet and cut him into the boards. Yandle was obviously frustrated, but no penalty was called and Panarin seemed to have no ill effects.
Forward Rick Nash missed his 11th straight game with the bone bruise in his left leg. He is supposed to be reevaluated in the next few days and is still considered “week-to-week.”