Regardless of a change to the protection for the primary time in 19 video games, the Rangers had been capable of retake management of a matchup with the Bruins to return away with a 3-2 win Wednesday evening at Madison Sq. Backyard.
With Urho Vaakanainen dominated out due to sickness, Zac Jones was inserted into the Rangers lineup for the primary time since Dec. 23.
Jones had served as a wholesome scratch within the earlier 18 straight video games, in addition to 20 of the final 21.
In whole, the 24-year-old defenseman has spent 26 video games watching from the press field this season.
“I thought he was really good,” head coach Peter Laviolette mentioned of Jones. “Not simply shifting the puck and the skating, however for me, it was the best way he attacked defensively within the defensive zone. The best way he closed, there was further perspective in what he was doing on the market. That’s what we’ve been in search of, too.
“I thought he really responded with a big game. Sometimes those games can be tougher because you haven’t been up to speed.”
Paired with Braden Schneider, the duo mixed for 2 pictures on aim, two blocks and three hits within the win.
The complexion of the Rangers fourth line has modified drastically within the wake of Adam Edstrom’s doubtlessly season-ending lower-body harm.
What was a bruising forechecking unit composed of Edstrom, Matt Rempe and Sam Carrick, who started to chip in offensively as they developed chemistry, is now a trio who skated in simply their third sport of the season collectively Wednesday evening in opposition to the Bruins amid the addition of Jimmy Vesey.
Whereas Vesey introduced a veteran presence to the road in Sunday’s win over the Golden Knights, their first sport collectively since Nov. 25, Rempe logged his highest ice time of the season at 10:08 earlier than coming in at 8:18 in Wednesday’s win.
“I would guess that Matt’s played somewhere between 8-10 minutes depending on penalty kill, power play, depending on the score of the game if we’re down by a couple goals and we might double shift somebody or move the lines around a little bit,” Laviolette mentioned about Rempe after observe Tuesday in Tarrytown. “I feel he’s finished a great job. He was bodily. I’d nonetheless prefer to see a little bit bit extra with the puck from that group, offensively. Simply producing. Easy mindset, get it behind them, flip it over, get it on web, crash the online, good things like that.
“He’s come in and played pretty good defense and chipped in with some physicality. I’d like to push that offensive boundary just a little bit.”
Igor Shesterkin stopped 15 of the 17 pictures he noticed Wednesday evening to enhance to 18-18-2 on the season.
