TORONTO - This was a night in which Henrik Lundqvist laid the foundation, a game on which he can build confidence and begin to work his way back to the level the Rangers need him to be at to succeed.
Lundqvist made progress by stopping 23 of 25 shots in the Rangers' 5-2 victory over the Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre, with the franchise goalie receiving improved support in front of him.
The Rangers (29-16-1) snapped their season-high three-game losing streak, during which Lundqvist allowed 16 goals on 76 shots.
"There's no doubt Hank's a real competitor," Alain Vigneault said before the game. "He's an individual that takes a lot of pride in his preparation. It's not (abnormal) for a player to go through challenging moments in an 82-game schedule. We have a lot of confidence in him. Everybody's said it - the players have said it, coaches have said it, management has said it. We need to do as a team a better job in front of him as far as tightening up in a couple of areas. We've talked to our group about that."
Michael Grabner's first shorthanded goal of the season provided the dagger with 5:03 left in the game, confidently finishing a great pass by Kevin Hayes, who had two assists. Grabner, who spent last season with Toronto, added an empty-netter with 2:57 left for his team-best 21st of the season, leading the NHL with 20 even-strength goals.
The Rangers did a better job defensively for the most part, limiting the Maple Leafs to nine shots in each of the first two periods while exploding for 35 of their own through 40 minutes with Toronto missing defenseman Morgan Rielly due to a lower-body injury. Toronto's first goal from Tyler Bozak came when Kevin Klein tried to block a pass from Mitch Marner in the corner, but he only got a piece of it in front before Bozak cleaned up.
Brady Skjei punctuated the Rangers' strong start with the opening goal at 6:42 of the first period.
(Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images)Lundqvist's second goal allowed came after Adam Clendening was hounded by Zach Hyman in the Rangers' right circle near the end of a Ranger power play, failing to get the puck up and unable to keep it under pressure. That allowed Hyman to round the crease and score shorthanded to cut the Rangers' lead to 3-2.
Brady Skjei punctuated the Rangers' strong start with the opening goal at 6:42 of the first, a wrister which whizzed by Frederik Andersen glove side. Bozak tied the game at 10:16.
A sharp pass by Skjei down low led to the Rangers' second goal at 14:44, Rick Nash tipping a shot which was narrowly stopped by Andersen. A scramble ensured and Pavel Buchnevich ended up kicking the puck onto his own stick in the crease. Buchnevich has a point in his last eight games, including all four since he's returned from back and core issues.
J.T. Miller's 15th goal of the season went off former Ranger Matt Hunwick's head and into the net at 9:02 of the second, seven minutes before Hyman's goal.
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