The New York Rangers found their rhythm again, securing a much-needed 3-2 overtime victory against the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night at the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota. This win ended a frustrating four-game losing streak for the Rangers and put them in a tie with the Columbus Blue Jackets in the race for a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, both teams now sitting at 70 points.
Braden Schneider scored the decisive goal in overtime, marking his first career OT winner in the NHL. After the game, Schneider expressed his excitement, saying, “I immediately wanted to shoot it, brought it to my backhand and just put it there. Luckily, it went in, and thankfully, it wasn’t goaltender interference.”
The Rangers’ victory was timely, especially with a rematch against the Blue Jackets coming up on Saturday. The Rangers are looking for redemption after suffering a heavy loss to Columbus just a week prior.
The game itself was not particularly action-packed, but the Rangers displayed efficiency. Coach Peter Laviolette made some lineup changes, moving Alexis Lafrenière back to his natural left side alongside J.T. Miller and Mika Zibanejad while introducing a new top line with Artemi Panarin, Vincent Trocheck, and Will Cuylle. This shift seemed to pay off, as Trocheck scored the first goal of the night in the second period, marking his 18th goal of the season.
Minnesota fought back, tying the game twice with power-play goals. Marcus Johansson scored the first tying goal, and later, Frédérick Gaudreau added another for the Wild, making the most of their man advantage. Despite the Wild’s efforts, Jonny Brodzinski answered back for the Rangers, scoring to regain the lead at 2-1.
The game was marked by a few penalties that put the Rangers under pressure, especially in the third period. Laviolette commented on the penalties, expressing his frustration but also praising his team for their hard work and resilience. He noted, “Overall, just a really good effort. Guys played extremely hard. Got a big win, moving on.”
With this victory, the Rangers have positioned themselves well as they head into a crucial game against the Blue Jackets, where a win could be pivotal for their playoff hopes.