Rangers beat Utah to cap strong road trip that has injected new life into season

SALT LAKE CITY — At the end of the 2024-25 regular season, this three-game road trip could be a difference-maker for the Rangers. Picking up five of a possible six points out west, after taking a 5-3 win over Utah Hockey Club on Thursday night at Delta Center, the Blueshirts have not only injected life back into their game, but they’ve done so against some notable competition. “We’re still frustrated about the one we lost,” head coach Peter Laviolette said with a smile.“It was a good road trip.

Even going back prior, I think we’ve been playing some good hockey.We’ve just got to continue to do that.

We’ve got to remember what’s gotten us here.We’ve got to take that into every game, that mindset of what works for us right now.

If we can do that, then we’re going to get a chance.” There was a lot to like about a total team effort in the 2-1 win in Vegas. Despite an overtime defeat at the hands of a hot Avalanche team in Denver, the Rangers put forth one of their better defensive efforts of the season. The victory in their first game in Utah, however, was one they probably wouldn’t have come out on top of a month ago.It required several counterpunches, a defensive diligence to contain their opponent’s speed and a killer third period to put the game away. So the Rangers did.

It pushed them back over .500.They are now in sixth place in the Metropolitan Division. “We’re going to be playing hard teams for the rest of the season,” said Reilly Smith, whose shorthanded goal 28 seconds into the third period tied the game at 3-3.

“Obviously, the first one in Vegas was important.That’s a tough team to beat.

Move on to Colorado and even just picking up one point there was important.We got ourselves off to a great start on this road trip and it was great to be able to cap it off this way.” Keeping close with Utah all game, the Rangers then took it to the home team in the final 20 minutes with two goals and an Artemi Panarin e...