The Rangers have a number of areas to clean up in turning their attention from Thursday’s season-opening 4-2 loss at the Garden to the Avalanche to Saturday’s game in Toronto against an abundantly talented Maple Leafs team that will slice a generous opponent to ribbons if given even half the chance.
That’s why much of the focus was on play through the neutral zone with and without the puck, gap control and on defending the rush. For as much as the Blueshirts owned a decisive edge in zone time and a 40-31 five-on-five Corsi edge over Colorado, the Rangers rarely stood up at their line and turned away the Avalanche.
“We’re very much aware of where we need to improve against this kind of a team,” Marc Staal said following Friday’s practice at the club’s training center. “When you’re playing against guys like [Auston] Matthews, [Mitch] Marner, now [Patrick] Marleau — they just have so many skilled guys who can skate — you have to be sharp in your details, your defensive structure and you have to be alert.
“They can make you pay pretty quick.”
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But if the Leafs, 7-2 winners in their opener at Winnipeg on Wednesday, have weapons, so do the Rangers, with Pavel Buchnevich primary in the arsenal off a very impressive game against the Avalanche in which he and Mika Zibanejad were the club’s most dangerous forwards.
There appears a dramatic difference in Buchnevich, who was impaired by core and back issues throughout much of last year’s rookie season, but has no such physical problems this time around in the Russian’s second year in North America.
“It is completely different. With the injuries, I was never 100-percent,” Buchnevich said, who recorded 20 points (eight goals, 12 assists) in 41 games last season. “I had a good summer, I worked hard and feel healthy.
“I am much more confident in my game and have a lot more belief. Last year I was more nervous.”
Zibanejad, who scored both goals in the opener and who centers the line with Buchnevich on the right and Chris Kreider on the left, walked past Buchnevich as he was talking.
“Skill, skill, skill,” Zibanejad said.
Buchnevich recorded four shots on seven attempts in 18:22 of ice time against Colorado that included 7:17 on the power play. He was strong on the puck, tough to move from the goal mouth and involved and effective on the back-check in the defensive. He had a power play opportunity from the right side to tie the game at 3-all with just over 6:35 remaining in the third period, but Semyon Varlamov got the better of him with a right shoulder save.
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Most Rangers on odd-man rushes automatically adopt the default option of passing puck. But with 5:40 remaining in the first period while carrying down the left side on a two-on-one with Zibanejad on his right, Buchnevich pulled the trigger. The shot ricocheted off Varlamov’s left shoulder.
“If it’s a good opportunity and I’m in a good position, why not shoot?” Buchnevich asked and answered. “The coach tells us to shoot more often, so when I can, that’s what I’m going to do.”
The difference in Buchnevich is noticeable to Vigneault, who has been championing the 22-year-old from Russia since the moment he arrived last year. But wait, isn’t this the coach who doesn’t like young guys?
“I definitely think he played a strong game [in the opener],” Vigneault said. “He protected the puck well, made some plays five-on-five and on the power play. I would say [his health and experience] will make a difference, plus his skill set — the way he handles the puck head up high, the way he can move, the way he can pass it.
“That skill set combined with the right work ethic, the right attitude and the right willpower on the ice, he should be able to make things happen. It was one game but it was a very positive game.”