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    • 3 takeaways from another Rangers preseason win over the Bruins
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    3 takeaways from another Rangers preseason win over the Bruins

    Idris Bevan Posted on

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    NEW YORK – The Rangers remained undefeated in three preseason games with a 5-2 victory over the Boston Bruins at Madison Square Garden on Thursday, and although the show wasn’t quite as eventful as Tuesday’s 6-4 comeback victory over the Isles, it was a more comprehensive overall performance from the Blueshirts.

    Here are three takeaways from a contest that New York controlled from start to finish:

    An improved Brennan Othmann

    Brennan Othmann didn’t seem thrilled with his first two preseason appearances. Both showed his potential, but also had overzealous moments and transitions where he never seemed to touch the puck.

    This Thursday he tried to change.

    “We did a video this morning that was just about moving my feet and having confidence in my plays – the plays I can make with the puck and even without the puck,” he said.

    A prime example was the first period playing time of 35 seconds.

    The 21-year-old forward ran to pressure Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov, who fumbled a bouncing puck as he tried to pass it over the boards, which Othmann quickly turned into a breakaway. He finished the game with a forehand finish past goalkeeper Brandon Bussi for his first goal of the preseason, giving one of the Rangers’ brightest talents a moment of joy.

    “Over the years I’ve been criticized a lot for my defensive play,” he said. “When I was in Hartford last year, my main goal was to really focus on that. I really thought it got better defense, my D-zone and the ability to thrive with an experienced defender like Zadorov, I’m just confident in my ability to do that.

    Head coach Peter Laviolette has stressed that he wants to see consistency from all young players struggling to make an impact, including Othmann, and he saw more of that on Thursday.

    The maturation process is underway – Othmann’s icing on the cake in the second period led directly to a face-off in the D-zone and a Boston goal from Mark Kastelic – and due to the crowded top nine, it is far from possible for him to make the team from the stock to be brought in, but the fundamentals are in place. A possible recall during the season is being taken care of.

    “Anyone who tries to get into the team or make an impact in some way has a little bit of nerves,” said Othmann, who scored a goal and an assist but appeared much more aggressive and decisive in his movements. “I’ve been here for, I don’t know, maybe three weeks, almost a month now, so I’m getting used to everything again. I’m used to the players, all the NHL veterans and Lavi’s systems and everything. “Even now I’ll just take it day by day and see what happens in the coming days.

    D competition

    This was a chance for a pair of defensemen vying to replace the injured Ryan Lindgren to step up, with mixed results.

    Connor Mackey was beaten by Brett Harrison on the Bruins’ first goal, although the blame isn’t his alone after a turnover from Adam Fox left him in a difficult position. He finished with one hit, one blocked shot and two missed shot attempts in 15:39 minutes of ice time, plus five penalty minutes for tackling Kastelic.

    It was telling that Laviolette gave the 28-year-old the initial push to play in Lindgren’s usual position on the top pair, but the competition appears to be far from over. Expect Ben Harpur and Chad Ruhwedel to get reps there in the coming days.

    “I thought he moved the puck well,” Laviolette said of Mackey. “He was physical.”

    Meanwhile, Victor Mancini continues to impress.

    He was whistled for a holding penalty in the third period, but again made a strong impression as he completed plays quickly and won several puck battles. The 22-year-old also stepped in offensively a few times, finishing with two shots on three attempts.

    “It starts in the defensive zone,” Mancini said before the game. “I pride myself on finishing games, playing a hard, physical game (and) being able to win pucks. And then I feel like my vision is a strong part of my game, so I use my vision to highlight my team and my style. “We have to start the offense in our defensive zone, get the puck into the hands of the forwards and then use the offensive side to join that second level and find open areas.

    He’s a pretty cool story as a player who went undrafted in his first year of eligibility but caught the attention of the Rangers and was a fifth-round pick in 2022 at the age of 20. His development has accelerated since then, making him a a legitimate NHL contender who continues to add new layers to his game.

    Mancini will still most likely start the season with AHL Hartford, but there is no doubt that he is moving up the ranks and positioning himself for an NHL call-up sooner than later.

    “That’s obviously what I wanted to do when I came to camp, is to make a good impression,” he said. “I just stick with everyday life and let my game speak for itself.”

    Kaapo Kakko becomes aggressive

    The Will Cuylle-Filip Chytil-Kaapo Kakko line didn’t score on Thursday, but their collective performance was noticeable.

    They outscored the Bruins 6-3 and outscored them 12-4, with an xGF of 89.82%, considered the best of any trio. Kakko led the team with seven shots on goal in his most aggressive game yet.

    “He’s working,” Laviolette said of Kakko. “You can see he’s out there competing. I really like the line. It’s been two games they’ve played together now and they’re working together in training. They are big bodies, they can move. They are all capable of achieving something and all a little different in the way they play the game. But I think they played a good game tonight.

    Vincent Z. Mercogliano is the New York Rangers beat reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Read more about his work at lohud.com/sports/rangers/ and follow him on Twitter @vzmercogliano.

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    Idris Bevan
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