Rangers' Vincent Trocheck gets three assists, dominates faceoffs in win
Rangers left wing Will Cuylle, right, celebrates his goal with defenseman Braden Schneider and center Vincent Trocheck in the third period of an NHL game against the Kings at Madison Square Garden on Sunday. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Artemi Panarin said linemate Vincent Trocheck has been “everywhere” for the Rangers this season.
“People say, ‘Forecheck, backcheck, Trocheck,’ ” Panarin said with a smile.
It felt that way on Sunday night in the Rangers’ 4-1 victory over the Kings at Madison Square Garden.
Trocheck had the primary assist on three of the Rangers’ four goals, setting up Mika Zibanejad, Jonny Brodzinski and Will Cuylle. He has 19 assists, second on the team to Panarin’s 22. He also won 16 of 21 faceoffs.
“He certainly was a noticeable guy out there,” coach Peter Laviolette said. “He really brings the whole package. He’s done it consistently the whole year.”
Where is Trocheck’s confidence level at this point?
“Right where it typically is, I guess,” he said. “I’m just trying to go out there and play my game.”
Goodrow returns
Barclay Goodrow returned to action — and was in the starting lineup — after missing Saturday’s loss to the Capitals.
Goodrow was hit in the face with a puck in Tuesday’s loss to the Senators, lost a tooth and returned wearing a full face shield.
Laviolette said starting Goodrow partly was about matchups and partly was a message, “letting him know how important he is to our team.”
The other lineup change was Laviolette flipping the right wings on the first and third lines, going with Blake Wheeler on the former and Brodzinski on the latter.
Brodzinski ended up scoring his first goal of the season, on a power play, to put the Rangers ahead 3-1. It was his first career power-play goal.
Change of dress
The Rangers debuted a new alternate third jersey, which featured a darker shade of blue than usual and the Rangers’ shield on the front. The team wore the shield on its jerseys from 1976-78.
It was the first of 10 games for which the Rangers will wear that jersey this season.
Neil Best first worked at Newsday in 1982, returned in 1985 after a detour to Alaska and has been here since, specializing in high schools, college basketball, the NFL and most recently sports media and business.
