Mike Sullivan knew the video tribute was coming.
The New York Rangers’ coach was full of gratitude, for the opportunity he had to coach the Pittsburgh Penguins for 10 seasons before shipping down to Broadway this summer, and for the two Stanley Cup banners that now hung in the rafters of PPG Paints Arena.
“When you watch a tribute like that,” Sullivan said, “It brings back a flood of emotions.”
Sullivan waved to the Penguins’ faithful as they welcomed him back to Pittsburgh for the first time. Then, it was back to a scoreless first period.
The Rangers would beat the Penguins 6-1 to cap off a 2-0-0 road trip that followed a season-opening clunker against the Penguins on Tuesday. Following that game, Sullivan stressed that some of his club’s hesitancy would dissipate as they got more familiar with his systems and executed more consistently.
“We let him down, definitely, that first game,” Adam Fox said. “We didn’t give him the best start, but I thought we responded really well.”
The Rangers have looked better in each ensuing game. On Thursday in Buffalo, New York scored three goals in less than three minutes to turn a slim 1-0 lead into a convincing 4-0 win over the Sabres, backed by a 37-save shutout from Igor Shesterkin.
On Saturday in Pittsburgh, the Rangers controlled play over the final two periods and were buoyed by scoring up and down the lineup.
Adam Fox’s three-point game
A season ago, Fox didn’t score his first goal until December. He didn’t have three tallies until January.
This year, he has three goals and four points in the Rangers’ first three games.
“Sometimes it’s just the law of averages,” Fox said. “Last year, the puck luck to start wasn’t great. This year, the same shots find a way to go in.”
Fox scored his first goal of the season on Thursday, sending a puck nearly 200 feet from his own goal line into the Sabres’ empty net to cap off a late third-period scoring surge, as the Rangers potted three goals in less than three minutes.
Fox picked up a shorthanded assist in the first period, then got on the board in the second as the Rangers’ fourth line worked down low. Sam Carrick and Matt Rempe crashed the net, while Adam Edstrom found Fox high. He beat Arturs Silovs’ blocker side.
Later in the period, Fox scored on the power play off a simple faceoff play. J.T. Miller won the draw, then went to the net to screen Silovs as Fox’s point wrister again sailed past Silovs’ blocker side.
“What I like about his game right now is his physicality down low,” Sullivan said. “He’s defending hard. I think his offense speaks for itself. He sees the game really well. He has the ability to slow the game down offensively and a lot of players don’t do that in today’s game.”
Noah Laba proves he belongs
Just under six minutes remained in the third period when Noah Laba poked the puck past Harrison Brunicke and took off on a rush.
By now, the Rangers led 5-1, and Laba, who made New York’s opening night lineup with a stellar preseason, was again proving that he belonged in the NHL.
Laba took a few hard strides into the offensive zone and fed a backhand, cross-seam pass to Taylor Raddysh, who tapped it in. The Rangers took a 6-1 lead on Raddysh’s first goal with the club, set up by Laba’s second assist of the evening and his young career.
Sullivan feels that Laba is getting better with each game he plays, noting his size, speed, and strength as obvious advantages. His work to set up Raddysh’s goal was a perfect example.
“The second effort was terrific,” Sullivan said.
The 22-year-old made simple, effective plays as he registered his first two NHL points, both assists. He also got involved in physical play, as he finished a check on Blake Lizotte in the final minute of the second period, prompting a scrum that ended with a Rangers’ power play as Brunicke was given two minutes for roughing.
Laba’s first career point came on a second-period power play. He worked on New York’s second unit and was cutting across the top of the zone when Matt Rempe fed him a pass from the boards, where he was marked by Caleb Jones.
Laba found an open Conor Sheary on the half wall. Sheary hit Will Cuylle for a tap-in at the side of the net to put the Rangers up 3-1.
Rangers’ special teams excel
New York’s penalty kill was perfect again Saturday. The club has now killed off all nine penalties it’s taken this season.
The Rangers opened the scoring on the penalty kill. Mika Zibanejad finished a shorthanded two-on-one as Sam Carrick fed him through Erik Karlsson’s legs. The play began with a Fox interception in the Rangers’ zone.
Sullivan maintained that New York’s penalty kill was still a work in progress, but praised Joe Sacco’s work in instilling new concepts.
“Identifying trigger points on where we’re going to pressure,” Sullivan said. “Just working cooperatively, who’s responsible for what in certain situations.”
New York’s ability to read and intercept passes stood out Saturday. Last season, they led the league with 18 shorthanded goals.
The Rangers also scored their first two power play goals of the season Saturday, as they struck twice on the man advantage in the middle frame to put the game out of reach. It’s too early to judge how much the club’s power play has improved under a new coaching staff, but both units scored by executing simple plays and getting the puck on net.
New York was 28th in the league last year as it converted on just 17.6% of its power play opportunities — a far cry from its third-best 26.4% conversion rate in 2023-24.
