In New York, the Rangers’ Ryan Strome had a goal and two assists on Monday in a 4-1 win over the visiting Edmonton Oilers.
The Rangers won their third straight.
“The last few nights have been just a really good team effort all around top to bottom, ‘D,’ forwards, goalies,” Strome said. “It’s been nice to see. I think maybe the [holiday] break did us well. The rink is buzzing. Guys are excited and happy. It’s a good feeling.”
New York improved to 22-8-4.
Alexander Georgiev made 33 saves in the Rangers win.
The Oilers have lost four straight.
“It’s been frustrating, and I think it’s kind of affecting our play now,” the Oilers’ Cody Ceci said. “Tonight, we were right there, we start taking a few too many penalties, their power play was moving it around really well, and it ended up costing us the game.”
Ryan McLeod was the lone striker for the Oilers.
“I thought we did a lot of things well tonight,” Edmonton head coach Dave Tippett said. “Our goaltender wasn’t very good, and we didn’t find enough pucks at the net to get us back in the game.”
The Oilers dropped to 18-13-2.
“They’re great players, they get their scoring chances, but we did a great job tonight,” Rangers head coach Gerard Gallant said. “It wasn’t about one line or one player, it was about a team group, and they did a great job.”
Alexis Lafreniere gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead in the first period off a steal by Strome below the goal line.
Barclay Goodrow scored in the middle frame to give the Rangers a 2-0 lead before McLeod got the Oilers on the board.
The line of Strome, Lafreniere and Goodrow clocked on Monday night in the win.
“Honestly, they’re very easy to play with,” Strome said. “Goodrow just does all the right things all over the ice. He’s so responsible, such an underrated player. The way he sees the game and reads the play, he’s got a great stick, he breaks up a lot of plays and he’s got underrated skill. ‘Laffy,’ you see the playmaking tonight, the ability. He made so many great plays tonight that could have resulted in more points for himself.
“A little bit of confidence, a little bit of swagger for those guys.”
Chris Kreider scored off the power with his 20th of the season, to give New York a 3-1 lead in the third period.
Strome closed out the scoring with his strike for the 4-1 final.
“I just beat the goalie to the trapezoid,” Strome said. “I knew he couldn’t get to the other side of the line there or else it would have been a penalty, so I tried to beat him to that line. ‘Laffy’ was screaming for it, so credit to him for calling for it and he buried it, too.”
Mikko Koskinen made 24 saves in the Edmonton loss.
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