Despite a change to the defense for the first time in 19 games, the Rangers were able to retake control of a matchup with the Bruins to come away with a 3-2 win Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden.
With Urho Vaakanainen ruled out because of illness, Zac Jones was inserted into the Rangers lineup for the first time since Dec. 23.
Jones had served as a healthy scratch in the previous 18 straight games, as well as 20 of the last 21.
In total, the 24-year-old defenseman has spent 26 games watching from the press box this season.
“I thought he was really good,” head coach Peter Laviolette said of Jones. “Not just moving the puck and the skating, but for me, it was the way he attacked defensively in the defensive zone. The way he closed, there was extra attitude in what he was doing out there. That’s what we’ve been looking for, too.
“I thought he really responded with a big game. Sometimes those games can be tougher because you haven’t been up to speed.”
Paired with Braden Schneider, the duo combined for two shots on goal, two blocks and three hits in the win.
The complexion of the Rangers fourth line has changed drastically in the wake of Adam Edstrom’s potentially season-ending lower-body injury.
What was a bruising forechecking unit composed of Edstrom, Matt Rempe and Sam Carrick, who began to chip in offensively as they developed chemistry, is now a trio who skated in just their third game of the season together Wednesday night against the Bruins amid the addition of Jimmy Vesey.
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While Vesey brought a veteran presence to the line in Sunday’s win over the Golden Knights, their first game together since Nov. 25, Rempe logged his highest ice time of the season at 10:08 before coming in at 8:18 in Wednesday’s win.
“I would guess that Matt’s played somewhere between 8-10 minutes depending on penalty kill, power play, depending on the score of the game if we’re down by a couple goals and we might double shift somebody or move the lines around a little bit,” Laviolette said about Rempe after practice Tuesday in Tarrytown. “I think he’s done a good job. He was physical. I’d still like to see a little bit more with the puck from that group, offensively. Just generating. Simple mindset, get it behind them, turn it over, get it on net, crash the net, good stuff like that.
“He’s come in and played pretty good defense and chipped in with some physicality. I’d like to push that offensive boundary just a little bit.”
Igor Shesterkin stopped 15 of the 17 shots he saw Wednesday night to improve to 18-18-2 on the season.