Rangers' Filip Chytil scores rare goal off the faceoff
The Rangers' Will Cuylle during practice at the team's practice facility in Tarrytown, N.Y., on Sept. 15, 2022. Credit: Patrick E. McCarthy
TORONTO – Filip Chytil had tried that move a lot of times in his hockey career, but he had never scored a goal directly off a faceoff before Wednesday against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
But as he lined up for a faceoff in the left wing circle early in the second period, Chytil, the Rangers’ worst regular faceoff man, with a win rate of 38.6% entering the game, decided in the circle to shoot for the goal, rather than trying to draw the puck back. So, on the drop of the puck, he fired the stick blade forward, and essentially connected on a one-timer that surprised goaltender Ilya Samsonov and beat him at 2:10 of the period, tying the game at 1-1.
“We didn't have a set play, for the first time, so I was just thinking I'll try it and that was just moment in my head,’’ Chytil said afterward. “And I tried and it went in.’’
A goal right off the faceoff drop doesn’t happen often, but Rangers coach Gerard Gallant has been around the game long enough to see it happen a few times.
“I’ve seen a few,’’ Gallant said. “Not a whole lot, but a few, definitely.’’
The goal was the first of two for Chytil, who reached a new career high with 15 goals in a season.
“Unfortunately, it didn’t help us get two points,’’ Chytil said.
Kreider back on left wing
Gallant, who has said often that he doesn’t like changing lines, did make one small tweak in the second period, when he switched Chris Kreider, who had started the game at right wing on the top line, with Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad, with Jimmy Vesey, who started the game at left wing on the second line, with center Vincent Trocheck and right wing Barclay Goodrow.
Gallant said he made the switch to get Kreider back to his natural left side.
“You know, he didn't feel comfortable over there (on the right wing),’’ Gallant said.
Blue notes
Rookie Will Cuylle, a Toronto native, got to do the traditional rookie skate, leading the Rangers onto the ice for warmups in his NHL debut… With Cuylle entering the lineup, Vitali Kravtsov was scratched, along with D Libor Hajek.
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.
