THE POWER OF TWO
2nd period rally lifts Blueshirts
For someone who clearly has the ability to score goals, it seemed odd Brandon Pirri was still a free agent late in the summer before signing a one-year, $1.1 million deal with the Rangers on Aug. 26.
“Yeah, I have no idea what the story is behind that,” Derek Stepan said. “I’m glad we got him though.” The Rangers were glad they had Pirri’s powerplay prowess during Wednesday night’s 5-2 win over the Bruins at the Garden. The Rangers (5-2), winners of three straight, trailed 2-0 following a first period in which they fell behind 10 seconds in on a David Pastrnak goal before scoring three in the second period, capped off by Pirri’s go-ahead, power-play goal with 35.4 seconds remaining in the period. He scored again at 2:23 of the third.
“That’s something from Day One all the guys around here have seen. He has a knack for the net,” Stepan said of Pirri. “He can shoot it, but the guy scores goals. That’s something that’s hard to do in this league, and he does it.”
Pirri’s four goals this season are tied for the team lead with Jimmy Vesey, who against his hometown team earned his first career assist on Rick Nash’s power-play goal and added an insurance goal 43 seconds after Pirri’s second tally.
After spending the last three seasons with three different teams, Pirri entered training camp along with a slew of other new forwards to compete for a roster spot. Now he has six points in seven games.
“It feels great,” Pirri said. “I was looking for an opportunity. I was in a couple of places. I knew I had to show well in training camp to earn a spot in this lineup, so it just shows to the depth in this organization.”
The Rangers began poorly for the second straight game before completely turning the game around in the second against Boston goaltender Zane McIntyre, who made 26 saves in his first NHL start. Henrik Lundqvist made 27 saves.
“Some nights it’s gonna happen like that, and to be able to have that fight, almost that mental reset when you come in here (between periods,) that’s important,” said Stepan, who had two assists. “It’s a useful tool to have down the road.”
Dan Girardi was checked in the face by Pastrnak in the second period and went through concussion protocol but returned later in the period. Pastrnak was assessed a two-minute minor for the ugly-looking hit. “As soon as I got up I was fine,” Girardi said.
Josh Jooris departed in the first with what Vigneault said was a separated shoulder. Jooris is out indefinitely and will have an MRI Thursday.
That delays what was an imminent roster decision for the Rangers, who are expected to activate Pavel Buchnevich (back spasms) from IR on Friday, at which time someone would’ve had to be waived or placed on IR to keep their active roster at 23. Chris Kreider (neck spasms) missed his second straight game.