Having won 12 of their past 16 games entering a meeting Thursday with the Devils, the Rangers have pushed themselves back into the thick of things in the Metropolitan Division. But they’re making sure their brutal start doesn’t entirely go to waste.
“I think for us, the good part about it is we still feel like we’re clawing back and I think we still have a hunger to make up for the ground we lost at the beginning of the season,” defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk said.
Rebounding from a 3-7-2 start has come with a reminder that they will take wins of all shapes and sizes.
“I don’t think we’ve had a ton of games where we played perfect for 60 minutes but that’s not what it’s about,” Henrik Lundqvist said. “It’s about finding ways to win hockey games.”
Coach Alain Vigneault said he believes defenseman Ryan McDonagh has been “turning the corner” lately, in timely fashion as the Rangers enter a heavy part of their schedule.
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“Lately, he’s looked real powerful on the ice, strong and committed,” Vigneault said. “Yesterday he blocked that shot, took a minute to shake it off and he was right back at it and playing with speed and a lot of determination. I think he believes that he’s turning the corner. I see it with my eyes.”
There has been an added emphasis in the NHL on advanced stats such as Corsi (shot attempts for minus shot attempts against) in recent years, Vigneault said he prefers his own set of numbers. The Rangers have “one of the most sophisticated stat packages” that has evolved through the years, he said.
“I know it’s out there after every game, the shot attempt, Corsi, whatever you want to call it,” Vigneault said. “I’ve got other things that I rely on, so I don’t put a lot of stake into that.”
During practice Wednesday, Lundqvist began breaking in the pads he will wear for the Winter Classic at Citi Field. After sporting pinstripes when the Rangers played at Yankee Stadium in 2014, he helped design some new pads that feature the Mets logo, minus the actual word “Mets.”
“We’ll see if I can get them ready, usually need a couple practices,” Lundqvist said. “Obviously we’re there as guests, so it feels good to kind of pay the respect to those guys and appreciate we get this opportunity to play in their home field.”