The Rangers earned their franchise record-setting 12th win through the first 15 games of the season on the backs of the fourth line.
There was Jimmy Vesey, skating in his 11th straight game after getting scratched in two of the first three contests, scoring two go-ahead goals Saturday in a matchup with the Devils that carried a little more meaning than most.
The game-winner came on a rebound of a Tyler Pitlick shot off the rush, which bounced off the right pad of Devils goalie Vitek Vanecek and onto Vesey’s stick.
Quickly flipping to his backhand, the second-time Ranger whacked the puck in before thrusting his stick into the air in celebration.
“The line was fantastic,” head coach Peter Laviolette said of the fourth unit, which has featured Barclay Goodrow in the middle of Vesey and Pitlick in the last four games. “[Vesey] was the guy at the end of the [play] that put it in the net, but the line was really good. They made good decisions. They were heavy to play against. They turned things over in the offensive zone, they generated some.
“Big game like [Saturday night] against a good team in our division. It’s nice to see guys like that chip in and have a really big night.”
The loss of Filip Chytil to injured reserve created the Rangers’ fourth line as we’ve known it.
Goodrow, who had played wing through the first 10 games of the season, moved to the middle as the Rangers’ centers were bumped up throughout the lineup.
In 32:43 of ice time, according to Natural Stat Trick, Vesey, Goodrow and Pitlick have been on for two Rangers goals and just one against.
Laviolette frequently credits the trio with handling some of the toughest minutes each and every game.
That sort of role hasn’t allowed for many offensive opportunities, but they sure picked their spots in that 5-3 win over the Devils.
If there’s anything to nitpick about the Rangers’ third-best record in the NHL entering Sunday’s slate of games, it’s that it’s come in spite of little even-strength production from the top line and a couple of key players who the team usually relies on.
Mika Zibanejad hasn’t scored since Oct. 30 and is still searching for his first five-on-five goal.
Kaapo Kakko hasn’t scored since Oct. 21 and has just two points on the season. And the first unit of Zibanejad, Chris Kreider and Blake Wheeler can certainly bring more during five-on-five play.
The Rangers, however, have a supporting cast that is finding ways to make up for it.
On Saturday night, it was the fourth line, with Vesey leading the way and upping his goal total to three.
Last Sunday night in a shootout win over the Blue Jackets, it was Alexis Lafreniere, who is contributing more to the team this season than he had in the previous three combined.
Erik Gustafsson’s 11 points (three goals, eight assists) is tied for the third most on the Rangers. Vincent Trocheck’s 14 points (four goals, 10 assists) isn’t even an accurate representation of how invaluable he’s been this season.
Even rookie Will Cuylle is finding ways to chip in with three goals and two assists.
“I think we’re a mature group,” Vesey said. “I think our structure is a big part of that, and I think just top to bottom we have a solid team and we believe in ourselves.”