This was the type of dynamic performance Rangers fans and coach Mike Sullivan have wanted to see from Alexis Lafrenière, even if it ultimately went for naught.
The former No. 1 overall draft pick had what Sullivan thought was “one of his better games he’s had all season,” registering a goal and an assist in Sunday’s 3-2 overtime loss to the Golden Knights.
“That’s what he’s capable of,” Sullivan said after the game. “I thought he was strong on pucks. He was hanging on pucks in the offensive zone. The goal he got was a goal-scorer’s goal. But it was more than just that.
“I thought he was around the net. He was winning puck battles. He was in the battle areas,” Sullivan said. “He was challenging people by hanging onto pucks, and that’s what he’s capable of. He’s a really good one-on-one player, and we’ve been trying to encourage him to challenge people down under the hash marks and try to force people to take the puck away from him. He’s big and strong with really good puck skills, and I thought tonight was one of his better games with respect to that.”
The 24-year-old Lafrenière entered with just two goals and one assist in his previous 12 games, but he factored in both Rangers goals in the second period.
He set up Mika Zibanejad’s game-tying score with a redirection in front of the net before firing in his seventh goal of the season four minutes later for a 2-1 lead.
The Rangers returned Brennan Othmann to Hartford after the game on Saturday, allowing the 22-year-old to suit up for the Wolf Pack’s game against Bridgeport that night.
Jaroslav Chmelar was subsequently recalled.
Chmelar appeared in his third NHL game Sunday night, replacing Taylor Raddysh on the right wing of the fourth line with Sam Carrick and Jonny Brodzinski.
Left-shot defenseman Brandon Scanlin cleared waivers and was assigned to AHL Hartford.
He had been rehabbing a lower-body injury since training camp.
With his assist on Artemi Panarin’s third-period game-tying score Saturday afternoon, Zibanejad surpassed Ron Greschner for the seventh-most points in franchise history (611).
The Swede rode a six-game point streak into Sunday’s game (three goals, four assists), which is tied for the fifth-longest active streak among NHL skaters.
