The New York Rangers followed up their first preseason win of the year with a wild win over the New York Islanders Tuesday night. It seemed as if nothing went in favor of the Blueshirts as their divisional rivals walked all over them for most of the game. The third period flipped the script, however.
‘No Quit in NY’ is still the Rangers’ motto
It seemed as if the Rangers were destined to lose this game from the initial puck drop. They took an early deficit, and the Islanders continued to build on it. It was only late in the third period when the Blueshirts decided it was time to make a comeback.
Last season, the Rangers led the NHL in comeback wins. It’s a nice stat to have, but it would be nice to not have to force a comeback every single game. The Rangers need to play every game the way they did in the final 20 minutes of Tuesday night’s exhibition match, except for a full 60 minutes.
Filip Chytil took a beating in the first period but came back and scored
Filip Chytil is a forward who just can’t catch a break when it comes to injuries. He’s had numerous concussions throughout his young career and missed most of last season. He made an unexpected return late in the playoffs last year, and he played well. But things aren’t going well for Chytil once again in just his second game of preseason.
Early on in the first period of Tuesday’s exhibition matchup, Chytil went down after a knee-on-knee collision with Islanders forward Scott Mayfield. He spent minutes down on the ice and was eventually carried to the locker room by his teammates. He was able to play one more shift in the first period, and made a return to the game — but it’s not a great start for the injury-prone center. Luckily, he was able to pot his second goal of the preseason late in the third period.
Rangers captain played exactly how he did last season
The name Jacob Trouba doesn’t sit well with many Rangers fans — and the worst part is, he’s their captain. After an abomination of a playoff performance, many called for Trouba to be banished from New York. But after a chaotic summer filled with many twists and turns, Trouba remains on the roster.
Trouba did not redeem himself during the first game of his third season as the Rangers’ captain. He made an immediate negative impact, practically disappearing from the ice on the Islanders’ first goal of the game. He assisted the Rangers’ late third-period goal scored by Zac Jones, but that’s not enough. He needs to step up to win back the hearts of fans, and he did not do that Tuesday night.
Shesterkin looked mediocre in his 2024-25 debut
Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin is highly regarded as the best in the game. He won the Vezina Trophy once already and has carried the Blueshirts through multiple deep playoff runs. Being an upcoming free agent after this season, many are expecting the best from Shesterkin. But he did not impress Tuesday night against the Islanders.
Playing just half the game, Shesterkin saved 16/18 shots against. This gave him a .899 SV%, a number significantly lower than the Rangers are used to. The defense didn’t give him much help, but the two goals allowed came in fashions highly unlike what fans have seen from their world-class goaltender. If Shesterkin truly wants to become the highest-paid goaltender in the NHL, he’ll need to step up his game moving forward.
Ryan Lindgren got injured in a fight
Following the hit against Chytil, Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren stepped up to defend his teammate by fighting Scott Mayfield. It didn’t end well, however, as Lindgren ended up dripping blood on the ice and leaving the game. Lindgren is another player who is extremely injury-prone, and this is not a great start for him either.
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Lindgren, 26, is on a crash course for a career quite similar to former Ranger Marc Staal. He’s started out his career well, but his long list of injuries may present a problem moving forward. If Lindgren desires longevity in this league, he needs to play smarter and avoid conflict unless necessary.
Penalties are flooding the Rangers
Last season, the Rangers had one of the best penalty kills in the NHL. Calls against came quite often, but Shesterkin and solid defensive play were able to bail them out most of the time. Against the Islanders Tuesday night, things got a bit scary.
The Rangers took a handful of dumb penalties, giving the Islanders an abundance of power play time. The penalty kill units played well, but it gave the Blueshirts little time to go on the offensive. If the Rangers plan on scoring goals this season, it’ll be hard to do so when down a man the entire game.
Zac Jones looked great with two phenomenal goals
Prospect Zac Jones has been eyeing a roster spot for years now. It seems like he’s been within arm’s reach for years now, but has only suited up for the Rangers when an NHL regular goes down with an injury, Tuesday night, Jones added to his resume with a fantastic breakaway goal against the Islanders, and an immaculate slap shot snipe.
Unless a surprise candidate comes to steal Jones’ spot, he’ll likely make the Rangers’ lineup this season. The departure of Erik Gustafsson has left a hole in the defensive corps, and Jones appears ready to fill it. He’s impressed the organization through the first few weeks of the season, and frankly, it’s his spot to lose at this point.
Looking ahead to the Rangers’ third preseason game against the Bruins
Following this win, the Blueshirts will hit the ice again Thursday night to take on the Boston Bruins for the second time this preseason. The Rangers’ regulars will hopefully win again after a phenomenal comeback performance against their divisional rivals.