Rangers' struggling power play scores first goal in odd fashion
Rangers center Mika Zibanejad (93) is congratulated after scoring a goal during the first period of an NHL game against the Panthers on Sunday in Sunrise, Fla. Credit: AP/Lynne Sladky
SUNRISE, Fla. — The Rangers’ power play has not been the dangerous weapon this season that it has been in the past. The extra-man unit entered Sunday’s game against the Florida Panthers having scored on 21.4% of its man-up opportunities, 18th in the league.
More recently, the Rangers’ power play had scored on one of its previous 17 chances in the four games before Sunday.
“I think we’re possessing the puck well,’’ point man Adam Fox said Saturday. “Maybe it’s got to get a little greasy, I think. It’s not so much we’re fighting getting set up or anything like that. I think we’re just struggling to put the puck in the back of the net.’’
Fox said the Rangers needed to get an ugly goal to get things started, and they certainly got one at the start of Sunday’s game when they were credited with a power-play goal without taking a shot and without actually having a man advantage.
The Rangers were skating four-on-four, with Vincent Trocheck in the penalty box serving a roughing penalty, and they were supposed to have a power play when he came out.
So coach Gerard Gallant got the other four members of the top power-play unit on the ice in anticipation of Trocheck, the fifth member of the first unit, joining them.
Mika Zibanejad took a pass from Artemi Panarin, drove the middle, split two defenders and went in alone on Florida goalie Sergei Bobrovsky. Zibanejad lost control of the puck, but it slithered through Bobrovsky to put the Rangers ahead 1-0.
The puck crossed the goal line at 14:36 of the period, the same time as Trocheck’s penalty expired.
It was determined to be a power-play goal, even though Trocheck hadn’t stepped on the ice. And Sam Bennett, who’d been serving a goalie interference penalty for Florida, was released from the box.
Blue notes
With Alexis Lafreniere back in the lineup after his one-game absence, Gallant opted to scratch forward Jonny Brodzinski, who had played in 11 straight games. Lafreniere had one shot on goal in 11:48 of ice time . . . Jaroslav Halak, who made 32 saves, won for the third time in four starts after beginning his Rangers career 0-5-1. He entered Sunday with an .890 save percentage.
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.
