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Key takeaways after Noah Laba’s OT goal lifts Rangers past Islanders 3-2
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- Key takeaways after Noah Laba’s OT goal lifts Rangers past Islanders 3-2
Dennis Schneidler-Imagn ImagesDennis Schneidler-Imagn Images
Noah Laba is making it tough for the New York Rangers to keep him off the opening-night roster.
The 22-year-old center entered the Blueshirts’ game against the New York Islanders at UBS Arena on Monday night leading the team with four points (all assists) in three games. He scored his first goal of the preseason at 1:01 of overtime to give the Rangers a 3-2 win.
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Laba took a pass from Gabe Perreault , cut in from right wing, went across the top of the crease and beat Isles backup goaltender David Rittich with a backhander, giving the Rangers (2-1-1) a win on a night when they were outshot 32-19, out-attempted 70-34 and failed to earn a power play.
The Rangers left many of their big guns back in Tarrytown, but they did bring No. 1 goaltender Igor Shesterkin , who stopped 21 of 22 shots in two periods before being replaced by Dylan Garand . The Islanders dressed most of their opening night lineup but played Rittich instead of starter Ilya Sorokin .
The difference in goaltending showed early.
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The Rangers were outshot 10-2 and out-attempted 24-5 in the first 20 minutes, but they took advantage of some poor defensive zone play by the Isles to score the period’s only goal. Juuso Parssinen was in the right place at the right time when Will Cuylle ’s pass caromed off Rittich’s skate and into the slot. He got inside position on former Rangers defenseman Tony DeAngelo and swatted the puck into the net at 5:30 for a 1-0 lead on the Blueshirts’ first shot on goal.
The Islanders continued to dominate possession and made Shesterkin work, but the Rangers had two great chances to add to their lead. Taylor Raddysh misfired on a wide-open shot from the right circle, and Rittich made his only save of the period when he denied Dylan Roobroeck after the 6-foot-7 rookie got behind the defense.
Meanwhile, Shesterkin looked like he was ready for opening night. His best stop came when he got the top of his glove on a wide-open shot from the slot by DeAngelo not long after Parssinen’s goal.
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Ex-Ranger Anthony Duclair tied the game 1-1 at 1:14 of the second period when he was left alone in front of the net and swatted Mathew Barzal ’s passout from the left corner off Shesterkin and over the goal line. But Cuylle put the Rangers back in front at 3:45 when he circled the net and tossed a shot at the net that went right through Rittich, who should have had it.
Matt Rempe had the best chances for the Rangers when he came in alone after leaving the box following a tripping penalty at 14:13, forcing Rittich to make his best two best saves of the game.
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Garand took the ice for the third period and allowed the tying goal at 11:33 when DeAngelo beat him with a screened wrist shot from the high slot.
The Rangers are off until Thursday, when they host the New Jersey Devils before completing their preseason schedule Saturday afternoon with a road game against the Boston Bruins . Their regular-season opener is Oct. 7 against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Madison Square Garden.
K ey takeaways after the Rangers’ 3-2 OT win against the Islanders
1. Igor Shesterkin is ready to go
The Rangers’ hopes of returning to the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season largely rest on the NHL’s highest-paid goaltending. If Shesterkin’s play against the Islanders was any indication, he’s primed for a big season.
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The Blueshirts were outplayed the Islanders for the vast majority of the game. But Shesterkin was more than equal to the task. Duclair’s goal came after a defensive breakdown, but aside from that, he was flawless. Shesterkin looked like the goalie who won the Vezina Trophy in 2021-22. He was quick moving across the crease, challenged shooters and aggressive in moving the puck.
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Shesterkin has allowed two goals on 33 shots in 70 minutes of preseason play. He’s likely to play one more preseason game before taking the net at the Garden on opening night.
2. Will Cuylle-Jusso Parssinen-Gave Perreault line excels
With J.T. Miller , Mika Zibanejad , Alexis Lafreniere and Vincent Trocheck left behind, the unit of Cuylle, Parssinen and Perreault was the Rangers’ best trio. Cuylle had a goal and an assist, Perreault contributed two assists and Parssinen helped his cause in the battle for the third-line center role by scoring his first preseason goal. Perreault was plus-3; his linemates were each plus-2.
Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
Cuylle was selected as the game’s First Star. The big question for coach Mike Sullivan is whether to leave him on the third line or play him in the top six. Judging by his play against the Islanders, Cuylle – a 20-goal scorer last season – looks capable of handling the advanced responsibility.
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“He isn’t 6-foot-3, but he plays like he’s 6-foot-5, 230 pounds,” Parssinen said of Cuylle. “He hits everybody. He’s really good with the puck. He’s kind of like a horse.”
3. Noah Laba comes throughagain
This was the toughest of the rookie center’s four preseason games. Laba had his most difficult test so far going primarily against Barzal’s line and wasn’t much of a factor through regulation.
But he wasted no time making the most of his opportunity during the 3-on-3 overtime, using a slick move to get in alone before beating Rittich to win the game.
It’s still more likely than not that Laba will begin the season in the AHL with Hartford in order to get more playing time, but he continues to give Sullivan and his staff something to think about.
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