Alexis Lafreniere's improved play evident in Rangers' comeback win over Oilers

CALGARY, Alberta — With the game on his stick Friday night, Alexis Lafreniere didn’t overthink things.

“I knew I was going backhand, five-hole,’’ he said of his strategy as he took the final shot in the sixth round of the shootout against the Oilers in Edmonton. “I just tried to fake the shot a little bit and then slide it five-hole. And it worked.’’

His goal gave the Rangers a 5-4 win and extended their winning streak to seven games, including 3-0 on the road trip, which ended late Saturday against the Flames.

But scoring the shootout winner wasn’t the only thing Lafreniere contributed Friday. He also had a huge goal early in the third period as the Rangers stormed back from 3-0 and 4-1 deficits.

Lafreniere scored at 1:36 of the third period to pull the Rangers within 4-3 and got the Kid Line back on the scoreboard after the youngsters had been shut out in Wednesday’s win in Vancouver.

The line of Lafreniere, 21, Kaapo Kakko, 22, and Filip Chytil, 23, has been the Rangers’ best since Gerard Gallant put them back together Jan. 23. They had a combined 13 goals and 14 assists in nine games entering Saturday and had scored in seven straight games before getting blanked in Vancouver.

“I feel like every game we play better and better,’’ Chytil said. “And that’s I think what we are happy about. But we still know that we can be better. So for me, personally, I’m proud of our line, how we play. And I think we’re playing even better than we played in the last playoffs.’’

And while that is true of all three players, it is perhaps most significant for Lafreniere, the former No. 1 overall pick.

It has been a difficult season for Lafreniere, one that included being a healthy scratch for a game in late December, a move that became big news around the NHL. There are people who thought he was going to be a generational player and may have tossed around the word “disappointing’’ when talking about him.

Gallant, who has at times said some blunt things about Lafreniere, nevertheless has always defended him. He’s repeatedly pointed out that the 6-1, 195-pounder plays the same position, left wing, as Artemi Panarin and Chris Kreider, and thus is relegated to third-line minutes.

Gallant also has said that prospects such as Lafreniere and Kakko, the No. 2 overall pick in 2019, haven’t been afforded the same opportunity given to other high picks who landed on rebuilding teams. The Rangers’ rebuild is over and they’re trying to win now, Gallant says. They don’t have time to be trying to develop the kids.

And so, while the goals and point totals for Kakko and Lafreniere may not match those of the Devils’ Jack Hughes, Ottawa’s Tim Stutzle and Anaheim’s Trevor Zegras, the Rangers are happy with the development of their young players, even if it may be taking a little longer than others.

Still, after he scored 10 goals in his COVID-shortened 56-game rookie season of 2021 and 19 in his second season, Lafreniere’s nine goals and 27 points are less than some were expecting.

Currently, though, Lafreniere is playing well and feeling good about himself, something he attributes mostly to being back with the young linemates with whom he’s played most of his career and with whom he can be relaxed and confident.

“I’ve said it a lot, I like playing with Fil and Kaapo a lot,’’ Lafreniere said. “I think we have a nice chemistry, and it’s always great to play with them. And we can always be better, but I think when we get going in the offensive zone, that’s when we’re at our best.’’

And by extension, when he’s at his best.

By Colin Stephenson

colin.stephenson@newsday.comColinSNewsday

Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.