ELMONT, NY — Monday night’s game against the New York Islanders was always going to be a tough test for the New York Rangers’ prospects.
The Islanders dressed a near-full NHL-caliber lineup. The Rangers, meanwhile, sent out a squad composed mostly of fringe roster players and prospects. Still, the Rangers pulled out a 3-2 win despite being outshot 32-19, as standout prospect Noah Laba beat David Rittich with a deke to the backhand just over a minute into overtime.
“I thought they competed hard,” head coach Mike Sullivan said after the game. “We’re real excited about these guys. They’re young players. We think they’re getting better and better with each day that they practice with us, with each game that they play. So it’s exciting to have these guys in the mix.”
We’re over halfway through the preseason. The Rangers have continued to trim their roster, but the prospects remain the story.
Noah Laba continues to shine
In overtime, Laba entered the offensive zone with speed, taking a pass from Gabe Perreault at the blue line. He beat Matthew Schaefer to the net and deked to his backhand around an outstretched David Rittich.
“I figured I was coming pretty wide,” Laba said. “So, just tried to get all the way across the bar post. Make it hard for him to get there.”
Laba is among several standout Rangers prospects through the preseason to date. Veteran players have been impressed. Sullivan and his staff face tough decisions.
“There’s a lot of good things that I’m noticing that I’m like, ‘Wow,’” Vincent Trocheck said last week, following a 5-4 home loss to the Islanders at Madison Square Garden. “Multiple times throughout the game, I think Gabe’s been great. I mean, Labs has kind of come out of nowhere and really stood out, in my opinion. Making it tough on these guys to make decisions on the roster opening night, and I think that’s great for competition, for each other, for our team.”
Trocheck spoke after Laba’s two-assist performance against the Islanders last Thursday, where Laba made a between-the-legs backhand pass to set up Brett Berard in the first period.
Sullivan said Monday that he felt Laba has had a “really strong” camp. Laba’s solid 200-foot game, he said, has stood out.
“I think his offense is evolving, with each game that he plays,” Sullivan said. “Some of the playmaking and just his vision, whether it be with the puck or without the puck on the offensive side, just his instincts.”
Braden Schneider’s return
Rangers defenseman Braden Schneider made his preseason debut Monday. This was his first game since April 12. He underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum soon after.
Schneider skated on New York’s top pairing alongside Urho Vaakanainen and played 22:51 on Monday — the second-most among Rangers defenseman. He chipped in an assist on Laba’s overtime goal, and added a shot and two blocks. His four hits were tied with Matthew Robertson for the Rangers’ lead among defensemen on Monday.
“It definitely knocked some of the rest off,” Schneider said. “Some of my puck touches were probably a little bobbly, and decision making was a little slow, but taking hits, giving a couple hits, and just getting that weight off your shoulders of playing in a competitive game.”
Roster cuts and injury updates
The Rangers trimmed their roster to 41 players on Monday. They sent Jaroslav Chmelar, Jackson Dorrington, Case McCarthy, Adam Sykora, and Kalle Vaisanen to training camp with AHL Hartford. Andrej Sustr was released from his tryout.
In practice on Monday, captain J.T. Miller left with an apparent non-contact leg injury. Sullivan said after the game that Miller was day-to-day.
Sam Carrick, who was supposed to play Monday, was held out with a lower-body injury. He is also day-to-day, Sullivan said. Carey Terrance replaced Carrick and played on a line with Matt Rempe and Jonny Brodzinski.
