Key line shows off chemistry as energized Rangers beat Canucks
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — The Rangers’ strength on the road so far this season continues to shine through.
Coming off an extremely humdrum and low-event matchup in Seattle, the Rangers were entrenched in an abundance of action Tuesday night in an evenly matched contest against the Canucks that saw the visitors power through to a 4-3 victory.
It was an energetic game that featured some entertaining hockey, and the Blueshirts came out on the winning end.
After the two teams continued trading off goals in the middle frame to carry a 3-3 score into the third period, the Rangers broke it open at the 10:43 mark on a goal from Chris Kreider.
The chemistry between Kreider, Mika Zibanejad and Reilly Smith has steadily come along, with this game-winning play serving as the latest example.
Zibanejad fed Smith in the high slot before Smith teed up Kreider for a short-side shot on Canucks goalie Arturs Silovs.
It counted as Kreider’s ninth goal of the season, while Zibanejad finished with his fourth multipoint performance of the 2024-25 campaign.
The Rangers had a lot of open ice in this one, and they used it to their full advantage.
Connecting on cross-ice passes and getting creative in transition, the Rangers consistently threatened on offense.
Despite the win, the Rangers have broken down way too early a number of times in the last three and a half weeks, over which they have given up a goal within the first minute of the game four times through 11 games.
Tuesday night was the latest, with Canucks captain Quinn Hughes crashing the middle of the ice and flipping a backhander past Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin just 34 seconds after the puck was dropped.
Zibanejad, however, had some jump in his game early on to combat Vancouver’s quick score.
Getting a stick on a shot from K’Andre Miller, Zibanejad scored his third five-on-five goal of the season. The Swedish center was all over the ice throughout the opening 20 minutes, setting up his linemates and pushing the pace whenever the puck was on his stick.
Will Cuylle gave the Rangers their first lead of the night toward the end of the first period, when Kaapo Kakko sprung him for a breakaway and the 22-year-old went top corner on Silovs.
Picking up an assist on the night, too, Cuylle is now tied with Artemi Panarin for the most five-on-five points on the team with 13.
The Canucks, playing without star J.T. Miller, tied it up again before the first intermission on a goal off the rush from Kiefer Sherwood.
Before the game even started, the Rangers led the NHL in goals per game (4.43) and goals against per game (1.43) on the road, in addition to boasting the best road power play percentage (37.5).
