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The Rangers power play has started to catch fire because the unit is focusing on shooting the puck more. Who would’ve guessed?
The Blueshirts scored three third-period power-play goals en route to a 5-3 victory over the Blue Jackets on Monday night at the Garden, resulting in their fourth straight win. The man-advantage is now 7-for-19 over the past five games.
“We all have to be shooters first, and I think that’s the first thing that we tell each other,” Kevin Shattenkirk said after he scored his third goal (second on the power play) in the past two games while collecting his 10th assist on Pavel Buchnevich’s game-winner on the man-advantage at 11:27 of the third, coming off an all-world pass from Mika Zibanejad across the goalmouth.
“That play at the end there for Buch’s goal, that only opens up because of the first couple,” Shattenkirk said. “We are simplifying it. We are not doing anything crazy, but we know when we have those weapons we have to use them.”
Shattenkirk’s own goal came on a long wrist shot, with a terrific screen from Chris Kreider in front. It was very similar to the power-play goal he scored in the 5-4 overtime win against the Panthers in Florida on Saturday.
“I’m getting very clear lanes because everyone is shielding over to Mika because he is such a threat,” Shattenkirk said. “So it’s important that I’m chipping in and getting my shots through, because at that time they’re going to have to pick someone.”
There was an extensive pregame ceremony celebrating Rick Nash having played his 1,000th career regular-season game on Oct. 26. Nash’s whole family was there, from his parents to his wife and two children. He was given a piece of crystal, an engraved stick, a West Coast golf trip and golf-club fitting from the Rangers organization.
Nash played the first 674 games of his career with the Blue Jackets, who drafted him with the No. 1 overall pick in 2002, and team president John Davidson also presented him with a framed photo collage.
“It was a special night for Nasher,” goalie Henrik Lundqvist said. “You want to make sure it’s a fun night to look back at.”
With Boo Nieves missing his second straight game with a stomach bug, the Rangers kept Paul Carey in for his second in a row. Coach Alain Vigneault, however, shortened the bench yet again, keeping Carey (6:33 total ice time), David Desharnais (7:01) and Jimmy Vesey (8:50) all stapled to the pine for the third period.
During the third, Vigneault put Kevin Hayes between Michael Grabner and Jesper Fast, while moving J.T. Miller to the middle between Rick Nash and Mats Zuccarello.
Defenseman Brendan Smith remained a healthy scratch for the third straight game.