For the first time since Nov. 21, the New York Rangers managed to win a game on the road.
Let’s face it, things have been bumpy for more than a month at home or away; the Rangers have gone 6-10-2 since that 5-4 overtime win against the Florida Panthers.
This was the sort of win the Rangers wanted to see, though: a hard-working performance against the Tampa Bay Lightning, one with a smaller margin of error than the score might indicate.
(Two Rangers goals came with an empty Lightning net in that 5-2 victory.)
The Rangers seemed pleased with their collective efforts.
"We needed this win..we played the right way and deserved this win"-#NYR @HLundqvist30
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) December 31, 2015
The Lightning now look like the team with greater struggles, as they’ve struggled to really take advantage of a six-game homestand.
They’re currently 2-2-1 with one game left on this string of contests in Tampa Bay. If the Lightning fall short of the playoffs, they’ll kick themselves for dropping games like these.