Will Borgen has been lauded for what he’s delivered to the Rangers defensively since arriving in New York through commerce from Seattle.
In Monday’s 4-0 rout of the Islanders, nonetheless, it was his shot that stole the present.
“[His shot blocking] is definitely contagious and noticeable,” head coach Peter Laviolette stated of Borgen, who additionally chipped in two blocks. “He’s been nice ever since he’s come this manner. His skating and his means to defend makes it tough on the opposition. He’s bodily, he performs with an edge. He makes good performs to get out of our finish. And then you definately like to see him leap up within the play like that.
“He has the skill — that was a great shot. Big goal at the time. We’re really happy with the way that he’s come in here and played for us.”
The 28-year-old blueliner has helped stabilize the Rangers backend tremendously, skating on a pair with Ok’Andre Miller within the final 27 video games.
It seems Borgen has a depraved shot in his arsenal, as properly, which was on show on the finish of the primary interval Monday night time.
Will Cuylle took the physique close to the blue line to spring Sam Carrick for a shorthanded rush earlier than Borgen joined in.
Carrick left a drop go for Borgen, who sniped a shorthanded purpose to present the Blueshirts a 2-0 lead.
“Cools made a nice play, took a hit to make a play, to get the puck out,” Borgen stated. “Sammy was going and I saw a little room and I joined along and he had a nice drop pass to me. Kind of got lucky.”
As for the best way Cuylle stepped up on the play, Borgen famous: “That’s winning hockey right there what he did.”
Cuylle additionally had Zac Jones’ shot boink off his helmet and up and over Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin for his seventeenth purpose of the season.
It gave Cuylle his seventh multi-point recreation of the season, with six factors (4 targets, two assists) in his final seven video games.
Matt Rempe didn’t obtain supplemental self-discipline for his elbow hit on Predators defenseman Nick Blankenburg.
After scoring within the recreation in opposition to the Predators, Brett Berard has two targets and three assists in his final eight video games with the Rangers.
“It’s awesome, playing with Beebs and [Brennan Othmann], love those guys,” Jonny Brodzinski stated. “It’s awesome to see. Especially Beebs, getting sent back down, he was extremely bummed with that. I just told him, ‘You’re going to get another shot.’ Happy to see him put one in the back of the net. You could see, it didn’t matter if that game was 8-0 he was still going to celebrate like that. That’s just the type of personality he’s got and he’s fiery, it’s awesome.”
