The roar from the crowd when Vladimir Tarasenko scored less than three minutes into the game on Friday night was only surpassed by the tangible excitement that emanated from them before he skated onto the Madison Square Garden ice for the first time in a Rangers sweater.
The perception of this Rangers squad had changed at that time, about 30 hours after president and general manager Chris Drury acquired Tarasenko and defenseman Niko Mikkola through trade. Not only did they defeat the Kraken, 6-3, to earn their fourth straight victory, but the way the Rangers did it behind their star reinforcement has simply strengthened the entire roster.
There were many positive aspects to the trade with the Blues that took place Thursday afternoon, particularly the clever haul of two conditional draft picks, prospect Hunter Skinner and Sammy Blais, that Drury sent to St. Louis to make it happen, but there were even more positive aspects after seeing Tarasenko perform.
Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, and Tarasenko made up the new-look top line, which proved impossible to defend in the offensive zone. All night long, Kaapo Kakko and the other members of the Kid Line—Alexis Lafreniere and Filip Chytil—were haggling. The top three lines for the Rangers each scored an even-strength goal, and captain Jacob Trouba and Zibanejad each contributed a goal on the power play.
The Kraken may have threatened to spoil the Rangers’ party by scoring twice in the space of 22 seconds to make it a two-goal game in the third period, but the home team held on thanks in part to Ryan Lindgren’s first goal of the year into an empty net on a late penalty kill. As a result, their new teammates got off to a good start in New York.
Oh, how the crowd cheered all game long. Everyone seems to have re-entered the New York Mood. Even renowned opera singer John Brancy, who sang the national anthem during the playoffs, performed a unique version of New York, New York.
The 2019 Stanley Cup champion for the Blues, Tarasenko, arguably put it best when he first faced the New York media on Friday morning.
It’s a chance to win the Cup once more.
Tarasenko, 31, was aware that there was no possibility he would remain in St. Louis.
The Blues never made an offer, and Tarasenko anticipated being traded at some time this year because the team is currently out of the postseason picture. The Russian winger cited the fact that he has worn the same gear for many years and won’t switch as evidence that he dislikes change. A trade was inevitable, but the protection provided by a no-trade provision allowed Tarasenko to choose where he would go.
Since taking over as the top dog in New York, Drury has been strategic with the players he’s acquired in the weeks building up to the trade deadlines. Given that the majority of the players he’s added have already had relationships with players on the squad, maintaining the sense of camaraderie and team unity appears to be a priority.
Kakko, with whom Mikkola previously played on the Finnish national team, greeted him with a wide smile, according to Mikkola, who skated on the bottom defense pair opposite to Braden Schneider. When they initially played together in 2011 for Team Russia at the World Juniors, Panarin and Tarasenko became good friends. On Friday night, Drury spoke with Panarin, who then spoke with Tarasenko, and lo and behold, there they were on the ice together, connecting for the Rangers’ first goal of the game.
Martin Jones of the Krakens was hit by the puck after Tarasenko received a pass from Panarin while flying down the right side. With that goal, Tarasenko became the fourth player in Rangers history to score in the first three minutes of their team debut. It came on his first shot during his second shift.
To take home another Cup, Tarasenko traveled to New York. The Rangers undoubtedly appear to have made the necessary steps to improve their prospects of fulfilling his goal.
»Tarasenko Inspires Rangers’ Win over Kraken«