Something special is happening with the New York Rangers; something we haven't seen in a very long time. Since losing to the Nashville Predators at the Garden on October 19, the Blueshirts have gone 13-1-1. At 15-3-1, they sit atop the Metropolitan Division, and by virtue of their 7-4 win over the Boston Bruins on Saturday. and the subsequent loss by the Vegas Golden Knights to, of all teams, the Arizona Coyotes, they are in first place in the NHL.
A little over two weeks ago, I wrote a piece in which I asked "How good are these Rangers?" Well, the answer is in. These Rangers are damn good! Just check out the stats below:
Goals allowed: 45 (Fewest)Goal differential: 21 (3rd)
Power play percentage: 30% (tied for 3rd)
Penalty kill percentage: 85.7% (tied for 7th)
Save percentage: .920 (2nd)
Face off win percentage: 55% (1st)
Record against winning teams: 9-1-0
And not to beat a dead horse, but they've played virtually the entire month without their best defenseman Adam Fox and their number two center Filip Chytil. They were also without the services of their Vezina trophy-winning goaltender Igor Shesterkin for over a week. Far from being a problem, the absence of these players appears to have made this team more resilient and tougher to play against. Can you imagine how much better they'll be once Fox and Chytil return?
Grit typically isn't a word you associate with the Rangers, but this season, it's become their mantra. Bad calls by the officials don't seem to rattle them; injuries to key players are opportunities for others like Tyler Pitlick, who scored his first goal of the season Saturday, to step up. If this team were a professional boxer, they'd say, "Is that all you got?" This might be the tightest locker room in the league.
If there's any cold water you can throw on them, it's that their Corsi for shot percentage at 5v5 has dropped considerably from 8th a month ago to 18th. But given that the Bruins and Golden Knights - currently the 2nd and 3rd best teams in the league - are 22nd and 17th respectively in that category, I wouldn't be too concerned. Head coach Peter Laviolette doesn't appear to be. And if there's one thing Laviolette is not known for, it's hiding his feelings. Trust me, if there was a problem, he and his coaching staff would be all over it.
That's not to say that everything is hunky dory. For all their grit and resiliency, the Rangers still haven't quite mastered Laviolette's system. And at various times this season, they've fallen back into an old and familiar habit of not putting forth a full sixty-minute effort. On their most recent road trip, they were badly outplayed by the Dallas Stars, Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers in the 3rd period. That they found a way to win two out of three is a testament to the brilliance of both Jonathan Quick, who pitched a shutout in Pittsburgh, and Shesterkin, who appeared to find his game in Philly after a couple of rusty starts in Dallas and New Jersey.
This "bend but don't break" issue came to define the team during Gerard Gallant's tenure in New York, and I'm sure it's one that Laviolette would like to exorcize as soon as possible. Relying on your goaltender to consistently bail you out is not a long-term strategy for success, as last year's early exit against the Devils proved.
But all that aside, this team looks nothing like that Gallant team. For one thing, unlike last season, they aren't waiting for the playoffs to begin to flip a switch. From day one of training camp, Laviolette has sold these players one simple concept: postseason success doesn't start in April; it starts in September. The hard work and sacrifice that you put into the Fall and Winter months prepares you for the marathon that awaits you in the Spring. It's the reason why the Stanley Cup remains the hardest trophy in all of sports to win. Many a talented team has had their hopes of hoisting that precious chalice dashed because they weren't ready, either physically or mentally, for the challenge.
Laviolette has been down this road before. He was successful once. He knows how hard it is, and he has communicated as much to his players. So far, based on the standings, they seem to have gotten the memo.
Look, two weeks ago, I cautioned everybody not to jump to any conclusions. It wasn't even Thanksgiving yet, I wrote. Well, Thanksgiving has come and gone and, lo and behold, this team is for real. Furthermore, they have served notice on the NHL. Sleep on us at your own peril.
The goal could not be more clear. Like that legendary Cup team of 30 years ago, the Rangers are focused on the ultimate prize and are prepared to pay any price to achieve it.
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