BUFFALO — Regarding the Rangers, eight points clear of a playoff spot at 16-7-1 entering Thursday’s match against the Sabres:
1. A pair of 3-2 victories in the last three games in which Henrik Lundqvist ultimately made the difference with late saves from in front of the net will do more for the Blueshirts’ greater good than the preceding string of 6-1, 5-0, 5-2 and 7-2 wipeouts.
These are the kinds of games the Rangers must win down the stretch and in the playoffs if they are going to turn this season into an unexpected special one. Challenges are welcome. And necessary for management to properly measure this group’s ability to adapt to a muddy course.
And these are the kinds of victories necessary for Lundqvist, who, like anyone, needs positive reinforcement, even if this is The King’s 12th time around.
2. Alain Vigneault’s insistence on sticking with his same six defensemen night after night after night after night after night after night and his corresponding refusal to get Adam Clendening back into the lineup for at least a look-see is baffling. It’s the Dylan McIlrath story with a twist: This time it is the mobile puck-mover, rather than the bruising defender, who can’t break into the veteran right side.
Dan Girardi has had a rebound first two months (even if the shot-attempt math says otherwise), only on for nine five-on-five goals-against in 310 minutes of mostly first-line matchup work. But Kevin Klein has been struggling on the right side, on for 18 against in 330 minutes in matches primarily against secondary units. Net-front coverage has been an issue.
Two overriding questions about the Rangers, not yet answered: 1) Are they big enough and tough enough up front to win enough battles and get to the front in these grinding, tight-quarters, chip-it-in games that are contested along the boards and in the corners; 2) Can they consistently move the puck out of their own end under duress with a defense that includes three slower throw-backs in Girardi, Klein and Marc Staal?
And this leads to Question Three: Aren’t we at the stage, more than a quarter into the season and with the Blueshirts facing a succession of clogged middles and neutral zones, where it would be beneficial to see whether Clendening makes a difference in clearing the zone, transporting the puck and beating the trap?
3. Even when the Rangers have spent too much time in their own end, the net-front coverage has barely lapsed. Freebies this year have been few and far between. That and forwards’ work on the backcheck have been the greatest improvements from last season.
But Rangers netminders have taken the brunt of too many goalmouth collisions the last couple of weeks, with the instances of contact mounting. That is becoming somewhat troubling. Even with Girardi, Klein and Staal, the defense is one of the least physical in memory.
4. First quarter MVP: Ryan McDonagh, by a landslide.
5. J.T. Miller is a much better player on the wing than at center, and the Rangers are a better team with Miller on Kevin Hayes’ right wing. The Rangers are down a top-six center, and there is no doubt that Mika Zibanejad’s long-term absence has revealed a soft spot in the club’s depth, but shifting Miller to the middle dilutes the team’s strength on the wing while only barely addressing a weakness.
And with Zibanejad down for up to another six weeks recovering from a broken fibula, it is imperative that the Blueshirts get more offensive production from Derek Stepan, who has only four goals and 14 points.
And with Pavel Buchnevich, on a rehab program for lower back issues, a couple of weeks away from his return, more is needed from Chris Kreider on the offensive side both with and without the puck.
6. The thing about Jimmy Vesey, who had gone dry for a spell before getting the power-play winner with 5:48 remaining in Tuesday’s 3-2 victory at the Garden over the Candy Canes: The work ethic never wavered or was in doubt, nor was the rookie’s ability to work the walls and play a down-low cycle game. That augers well for the spring.
Thursday could be an interesting night for Vesey, who spurned the Sabres’ attempts to sign him this summer after they had acquired his rights from Nashville before the Harvard grad became a free agent and opted to join the Rangers.
Once Chris Drury was booed every time he touched the puck upon his return to Buffalo after signing with the Rangers as a free agent. Will be interesting to see whether embers of resentment are stoked to produce the same response to Vesey.