While goaltending has played a major role in the Rangers’ top-10 ranked penalty kill, the players in front of the net deserve just as much credit.
The 13-3-1 Blueshirts and their unwavering buy-in to head coach Peter Laviolette’s system has been personified in the team’s unrelenting commitment to blocking shots.
It’s not just when they’re shorthanded, either.
This has been a game-to-game occurrence no matter what strength they’re skating at.
It’s just one of many reasons why the Rangers sit in first place in the Metropolitan Division, five points ahead of the next closest team, the Capitals.
For a team that has always seemed to be caught up in producing offense, defense has been just as much of a priority this season.
Fending off all five Penguins power plays in their 1-0 win Wednesday night at PPG Paints Arena, including two in the span of 2:39 toward the end of the third period, the Rangers finished with 25 blocks.
“They were fantastic,” Laviolette said of the PK after the game. “They blocked so many shots, sacrificed themselves like that. It gets frustrating, too, when you can’t get your shot through on the power play. You got to give the penalty killers a lot of credit.”
The consistent sacrificing of their bodies has trickled down into the Rangers’ overall defensive numbers.
Not only are they ranked ninth in the NHL with 311 blocked shots, but the Rangers’ 2.29 goals against per game average is the second best, behind only the league-leading Bruins (2.11).
The second half of that sentence is obviously primarily due to the world-class goaltending the Rangers have gotten from Igor Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick, but both have made a point to credit the way the players in front of them have filled the lanes and tied up sticks to prevent shots.
On the special teams side of things, the Rangers’ eight power-play goals allowed is tied with the Penguins, Capitals and Stars for the third fewest in the NHL.
The only teams with fewer power-play goals against are the Blue Jackets (seven), the Kings (six) and the Bruins (six).
“Especially against [the Penguins] with some world-class players, it’s always a challenge,” said Nick Bonino, whose 45 blocked shots are tied for the 11th most in the NHL. “I think the biggest thing is, as [the third period] goes on, we don’t get to get all the guys out, guys who aren’t on the kill. Sometimes you get too many minutes. It’s nice when you can roll the bench and play even.
“But I think some of those calls we weren’t thrilled with. When that happens and it isn’t going your way, you just got to kill them. I thought we had blocks everywhere, we had good clears, good pressure and great goaltending and that’s what it takes.”
While Bonino and Mika Zibanejad are the top forward penalty killers, both averaging two or more minutes of shorthanded ice time per game, Rangers captain Jacob Trouba is second among the team’s defensemen behind only Ryan Lindgren.
Trouba, who is quietly having a solid start to the season, is ranked second in the NHL with 61 blocks, behind only Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb.
Strong defense turning into prolific offense is the way Laviolette has envisioned his system being played.
Even without the help of their 2021 Norris Trophy-winning defenseman, Adam Fox, the Rangers have taken care of the puck on both sides of it.
Their 93 giveaways this season are the second fewest in the NHL, which represents smart puck decisions.
But the penalty kill has embodied all of what Laviolette has been preaching since his arrival: Taking care of the D-zone will allow for success in the O-zone.
“We got some guys that are extremely talented at getting in the lane and taking that lane away,” Quick said. “It’s a skill.”
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