New York Rangers make statement in win over the Penguins

The New York Rangers make quite the statement in beating the Pittsburgh Penguins in Pittsburgh.

Sidney Crosby and his Penguin friends have been quite the problem for the New York Rangers in recent years. It could be the regular season or the playoffs, it doesn’t matter. The Penguins have become that standard that other teams aspire to. Performance against Pittsburgh almost becomes that measuring stick as to how good your team really is, similar to how a football team performs against the New England Patriots.

That is why the Rangers 4-3 win over the Penguins on Tuesday was so important. If ever there was a statement game in the month of December for hockey, this was it. Just as important, and potentially even more important, was the fact that the Rangers were the team that made the statement in the game. Beating this team makes it clear that the Rangers are a team to be reckoned with in 2017-2018.

They are a resilient team that can get in done in clutch situations. The Rangers were down multiple times in this game. In the past this would be the cue for the Penguins to take the game and run away with it. That wasn’t the case this time. The Rangers fell behind more than once in this game. Instead of falling apart and letting the game get away, they recaptured the lead on each occasion. They were able to score when it was necessary. They fought for their opportunities and cashed in when they presented themselves.

More from Empire Writes Back

Don’t sell the Penguins short here. They really did bring a lot to the table. The Rangers were without Henrik Lundqvist for the game who sat out due to a battle with the flu. It seemed like it might be an easier night for Crosby and company.

It wasn’t.

The secondary statement made by the Rangers on this night was that the backup goalie could hold his own. Ondrej Pavelec stopped 41-44 shots on the way to the Rangers win. Early in the third, he gave up the 3-2 lead on a goal by Patric Hornqvist. However, he stopped all of the remaining shots he faced, keeping the Rangers right in there until Pavel Buchnevich scored the game winning goal with less than half of the final period remaining.

In the past, the Rangers have not been able to come back from giving up the lead late to this team. They are more resilient now. Pavelec showed that he can make some saves too and the Rangers got it done. It’s a big statement.

Next: November success leads to future possibilities for the Rangers

The NHL better stand up and take notice of these Rangers. They can score and they can play defense. They don’t crumble under pressure. They will be a tough out for any team this season, no matter what they throw at them. It should be exciting to watch.

Home/New York Rangers