In one more infuriatingly frustrating match Sunday afternoon, the New York Rangers played a comprehensive game and defeated the Jets, 3-1.
It required two waved off goals form the Jets to get there but nonetheless, the Rangers did win.
Jimmy Vesey struck for a goal in his return from a concussion.
Mats Zuccarello, scored late in the first and Michael Grabner book-ended Vessy’s goal with an empty-netter late to seal it.
“This was a real good team win, like last game,” Zuccarello said. “Blocking shots, everyone playing really well. (Lundqvist) was real good for us. We scored some big goals. And I think our power play was good – we just missed our chance to score there. And our PK was outstanding. So it was a solid game for everyone and a really good win.”
Henrik Lundqvist made 37 saves to pick up the win.
“The way we responded after the first couple minutes is I think key to this win,” Lundqvist said. “They were all over us the first 10 minutes. We knew that going into this game, they always come out flying.”
Nikolaj Ehlers scored early to give the Jets a 1-0 lead.
“I thought the first period was really good and in the second period we got away from it because we were in the box for six minutes out of 20, (that) disrupted our rhythm a little bit,” the Jets’ Blake Wheelersaid. “The third we had some great looks, it just didn’t go in and they get one in, a good bounce in the end, makes it tough.”
The Rangers have been in disarray for weeks and with the front office brass hinting at major changes, the psyche in the roster must be defeated.
“When you win, everything looks brighter. But at the end of the day, what we’re doing with our guys is keeping them in hockey mode. We’re working with them individually and as a team on a certain area that we have to focus on to get better. And that’s what we’re going to keep doing here moving forward,” Rangers head coach Alain Vigneault said of the efforts to keep the team focused.
New York, despite the lackluster efforts of late, is just two points back of a wild card spot in the east.
[WATCH: All Rangers vs. Jets highlights]
Connor Hellebuyck made 25 saves in taking the loss as the Jets have gone into a tail spin of late with two straight losses and four of the past seven.
“Yeah, first and third were really strong. To come away even out of two [periods], you got to think you’re in a pretty good spot. Our guy made some saves, though. He didn’t have the volume, but he had to make some saves. Lundqvist made some pretty good saves,” Jets head coach Paul Maurice said after the loss.
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