SAN JOSE, Calif. — SWEEP, SWEEP, SWEEP!
For the first ever time since the Sharks joined the NHL in 1993-94, the Rangers swept a three-game journey through California by defeating the team in teal 3-1 here on Saturday to complete this triumphant Measuring Stick Tour that commenced with victories in Anaheim and Los Angeles on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.
The victory was the Rangers' 13th in the past 14 games beginning Dec. 8, a stunning 13-1 stretch through which the Blueshirts have outscored the opposition by an aggregate score of 51-22.
"I think this week was a great kind of answering-the-bell," said Rick Nash, who sealed another monstrous game with an empty-netter. "I thought we played great. It was an impressive three wins. Now we're going home, and we have to be careful we don't have any kind of letdown."
The Rangers return home for a midseason showdown with the division-leading Islanders — whom the Blueshirts trail by five points but with three games in hand — before going back on the road for three in four days in Boston, Columbus and Pittsburgh.
Henrik Lundqvist, who somehow was not selected by the league's crack committee for what will be a Some-Stars Game in Columbus on Jan. 25, was outstanding in the victory, allowing only a third-period power play goal. The King has allowed two goals or fewer in 10 of his last 11 starts.
"We believe we can beat anybody," said Lundqvist who was brilliant throughout — especially so in a taut and tense third period in which the Sharks dominated play. "But we understand why we have had success: We work hard and pay attention to the details. If we don't, we can lose to any team in the league."
The Blueshirts had gained a 1-0 lead at 10:40 on Marty St. Louis' goal from the slot off a brilliant tap-back from the left corner from Chris Kreider after a Derek Stepan faceoff win against Joe Thornton.
Up to that point, the Rangers had been outplayed by a Sharks team that came hard on the forecheck, applied pressure all over the ice and cleared its zone cleanly. But the Blueshirts maintained their poise and elevated their game following the penalty kill.
Rick Nash accepts congratulations from teammates Ryan McDonagh and Dan Girardi (5) after scoring a goal in the Rangers' 3-1 win over the Sharks on Saturday night.Photo: AP
Kreider, whose play has improved dramatically over the last couple of weeks after a lengthy lull, increased the lead to 2-0 at 15:13 by banging a rebound left by Antti Niemi on a Dan Girardi right wing drive. The sequence that culminated with Kreider's third goal in five games following a 1-for-19 stretch, also began with a Stepan faceoff win against Thornton, this time in the right circle.
The game marked Boyle's return to the rink he called home for the previous six seasons. The defenseman suffered a facial cut during the game's first shift and missed a handful of shifts before returning. The Sharks played a video tribute to Boyle during a television timeout at 11:34 that evoked a warm ovation from the crowd and prompted the defenseman to stand and salute in response.
The Blueshirts ramped it up over the second half of a physical first period that featured big hits thrown by Nash, Kreider and an increasingly assertive Jesper Fast.
Lundqvist was outstanding in the scoreless second period, and particularly so in a sequence 5:15 into the period when he lunged to his right to deny James Sheppard's rebound from point blank range that followed an initial right wing blast by Brent Burns.
Nash, who was selected to play in Columbus, was a demon late in the period, sprinting across almost the full width of the ice to deny a San Jose rush just moments before he raced back to get a piece of Patrick Marleau on a right wing drive to the net.
"We had a great month against weaker opposition, winning the games we were supposed to win," said Marc Staal, who had another exceptional night. "Everyone here was looking forward to this trip against quality hockey teams.
"The way we're playing right now, we're a very hard team to beat. We're making teams have to play an exceptional game to beat us."
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