OTTAWA, Ontario — Since scoring a power-play goal against the Canadiens at the start of their four-game road trip, the Rangers couldn’t get their man-advantage units to click when they needed them most.
Until, that is, the final five minutes of their come-from-behind 3-2 victory over the Senators on Saturday afternoon at Canadian Tire Centre.
With Ottawa leading 2-0 and the Senators’ former third-overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, Tim Stutzle, in the penalty box, the Rangers were crisp with their passes to start their fourth power-play opportunity of the game. The puck cycled over to Artemi Panarin, who quickly sent a spot-on leading pass to Chris Kreider for the easy tap-in past Ottawa goalie Matt Murray for the Rangers’ first goal.
Kreider’s knee connected with Murray’s head and the goaltender headed to the Senators’ locker room for the remainder of the game with what is assumed to be a possible concussion.
“There was a lot clicking on the power play, we [were] 2-for-20 [coming into Saturday’s game] but I like a lot of what I’m seeing,” head coach Gerard Gallant said before the win. “There’s good scoring chances, they’re hitting goalposts. If they weren’t getting chances I would be concerned, but I’m not concerned one bit.”
The Rangers are now 3-for-24 with the man-advantage so far this season.
Kaapo Kakko is eligible to come off injured reserve on Monday, though it is unclear if the Finnish right winger will be ready for the Rangers’ game that night against the Flames at Madison Square Garden.
“He’s still day-to-day, he’s doing real well,” Gallant said of Kakko, who suffered an undisclosed upper-body injury in the first period of the Rangers’ 3-1 win over the Canadiens on Oct. 16. “He skated [Friday], so he’s skated the last couple of days, getting closer. But it’s day-to-day still.”
Ryan Lindgren tied the score at 2-2 with the third goal of his career and first since April 15 last season, against the Devils.
“Four-on-four, I just sort of found myself there and obviously a great play by [Adam Fox] to kind of beat his guy and then find me at the net,” he said.
K’Andre Miller blocked a career-high six shots in the win, while posting two shots and two hits in 19:35.
“I like the way he’s played,” Gallant said. “He’s a big guy, he’s skating well, he’s still a young player, but night in and night out he’s playing really good hockey for us. I like the way he’s taken a step and like any defenseman, he makes some mistakes in the D zone. But I like what I see, I think he’s going to be a real, real good hockey player.”
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