N.Y. Rangers: Mix and Match Madness

From the desk: RAISE GRESCH WITH THE GREATS

THURSDAY

Rangers    3

Sabres       2

FINAL/OT

Nice way to score your first NHL goal ... Colin Blackwell recovers the puck in the neutral zone and handles it into Buffalo's end.  He finds Alexis Lafreniere on the left wing, who wrists the puck past Buffalo goalie Linus Ullmark's stick side at the 2:47 mark of overtime.  It's Lafreniere's first NHL point through his first seven games.  To date, he has taken 13 shots on goal for an average of 1.8 shots per game.  However, four shots came Thursday against Buffalo.  It appears, then, Lafreniere is getting a little more comfortable.  

Now, if only Coach Quinn can just stop shifting Lafreniere up and down the lines.  That said, Coach Quinn, this season, also had Lafreniere switch sides and played him on the right wing.  It just makes me wanna scream, STOP!  Can we please give this kid some stability and line continuity?  The loss of Filip Chytil complicates matters.  Do you want Lafreniere playing with Ryan Strome or Brett Howden?  If you're going to play him on the first line, keep him on the first line.  If you want him playing on the third line, keep him on the third line with Colin Blackwell and Philip Di Giuseppe?  At least Di Giuseppe brings some physicality to the ice.  The point being, stop coaching in a panic, and let's settle the third line.  Start giving the lines some routine and stability.

How about winning some more face-offs!

The Rangers' biggest problem has been in the net.  But as I keep saying ... you can't be disappointed with what you do not expect.  Like the forward lines, just let the young goaltenders play.  Making his fourth start, Shesterkin faced 25 shots and stopped all but two (one even strength, one on the penalty kill) en route to his first win of the season.