On Sunday, the New York Rangers achieved a decisive victory against the Chicago Blackhawks, winning 6-2. Filip Chytil contributed significantly to the scoreboard with two goals, while Jonny Brodzinski, Will Borgan, Reilly Smith, and Vincent Trochek each added a goal to the team’s total. With this win, the Rangers improved their record to 2-5 over their last seven games, marking their second victory in three outings. In contrast, this loss marked the Blackhawks’ sixth defeat in their last seven matches.
The Rangers took control of the game late in the first period, with both Brodzinski and Borgan scoring within the final five minutes to shift the score to 2-1. Their shots originated from the high slot, with Brodzinski’s goal benefiting from Mika Zibanejad’s effective screen of Chicago goalie Arvid Soderblom, who made 28 saves throughout the game. Chytil extended the lead to 3-1 early in the second period with a wrist shot at 3:28, and later, he netted his second goal on a double-deflection, sealing New York’s lead with 11:24 remaining in the contest.
Despite the Rangers’ dominance, the Blackhawks initially got on the board first, thanks to Tyler Bertuzzi’s 14th goal of the season, which was assisted by Connor Bedard after a steal from Zibanejad at 5:37 into the game. Wyatt Kaiser later scored his first NHL goal for Chicago late in the second period, but it was not enough to turn the momentum around.
In his first start of the season and first NHL win since November 9, 2023, Rangers goaltender Louis Domingue, called up from Hartford on New Year’s Eve, made 25 saves.
Observations from the match indicate that it was a crucial win for the Rangers as they prepare for a challenging schedule ahead, facing teams with records of .500 or better in their next six games. For the Blackhawks, the failure to capitalize on their early lead has now dropped their record to 11-12-2.
One of the pivotal moments of the match came when Zibanejad executed a clever stretch pass to Reilly Smith in the middle of the second period, catching Chicago’s defensive pair off guard. Smith skillfully maneuvered the puck in a backhanded shot that went between Soderblom’s legs, increasing the lead to 4-1.
A significant statistic to note is that the Rangers notched their 245th victory in their 600 regular-season contests against the Blackhawks, a rivalry that dates back to 1926.
Looking ahead, the Rangers will host the Dallas Stars on Tuesday night, while the Blackhawks will face the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday to complete a three-game homestand.
