The New York Rangers returned to home ice and didn’t disappoint. The Blueshirts snapped their two-game losing streak and extended their unbeaten run at home to six games to start the 2026-27 NHL season.
Moreover, they suffocated the Anaheim Ducks en route to a 5-2 victory. After the game, Mike Sullivan heaped praise on his team, but it was Joel Quenneville’s statement that made the most noise and served as a compliment to the way New York is playing right now.
“It was flattering, the score at the end of the night. I thought our top guys weren’t very good tonight,” Ducks coach Quenneville admitted after the game, via NHL.com. “You could name them all and you probably wouldn’t be happy.“
The Rangers were in control all night long, scoring the first five goals of the game, and could’ve scored even more. It wasn’t until there were less than two minutes left in the game that the Ducks found the back of the net, scoring twice in the span of 36 seconds. Ultimately, it was too little, too late, and only spoiled Dylan Garand’s second shutout of the season.
Dylan Garand #33 of the New York Rangers.
Sullivan praises Garand
Still, the rookie goalie put on another terrific performance as the Rangers’ starter, extending his hot streak to start the 2026-27 NHL season. Garand, like the Rangers, remains undefeated at Madison Square Garden this season and is still unbeaten in regulation on home ice in his career.
“I’ve been asked the question a number of times, what do we expect from Dylan? And my expectation, just based on his body of work here, is that he’s going to win, he’s going to make saves for us, he’s going to make timely saves,” Sullivan said about the goaltender who’s become the starter overnight after Igor Shesterkin’s season-ending injury. “He’s given us a chance to win night in and night out, and that’s what we’re asking of him.”
Garand’s numbers
As it stands, Garand has a 4-2-1 record on the season, along with a shutout, a .929 save percentage and a 1.85 goals-against average (GAA). Both his save percentage and GAA rank among the top seven in the NHL.
It’s been quite the start for a netminder who had played just three NHL games before the season and wasn’t expected to play such a big role right away. At the end of the day, though, injuries happen, and it’s how players adapt that makes the difference.
It goes without saying that Garand has done just fine settling into his new primary role in Manhattan. How long can he keep it up? That’s the question, but as long as he does, the Rangers may continue to look like bona fide contenders in the Metro Division.
Key takeaways
- New York Rangers defeated Anaheim Ducks 5-2 to remain undefeated on home ice.
- Anaheim Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville admitted the team’s top players weren’t very good.
- New York Rangers goaltender Dylan Garand boasts a 1.85 goals-against average and .929 save percentage.
