New York Rangers forward Vincent Trocheck opened the scoring in tonight’s Game 2 matchup against the Florida Panthers following a beautiful feed from defenseman Adam Fox. The goal came 4:12 into the first period.
But as the Rangers celebrated their first goal of the series, chaos broke out on the ice. All ten players on the ice got into individual wrestling matches, with Panthers’ forward Matthew Tkachuk pinning Vincent Trocheck to the ice.
The officials needed to work quickly to get the mayhem under control. In total, three penalties were issued. Tkachuk got two minutes for roughing against Trocheck, while Alexis Lafreniere and Carter Verhaeghe got the gate for their fisticuffs.
The early tussle has set the tone for what has been an energetic and physical first period for the Rangers. New York was expected to come out strong following their loss in Game 1. So far, the Rangers have not disappointed.
With two periods left to play, there will be plenty of action on both ends of the ice.
Vincent Trocheck: a valuable contributor to the Rangers’ lineup
Vincent Trocheck has been a key member of the Rangers this season. During the regular season, he netted 25 goals and 77 points in the full 82 games. But it’s been in the playoffs where he’s contributed the most. In 11 games coming into Game 2 against Florida, Trocheck has tallied six goals and eight assists for 14 points.
Trocheck has played a significant role in the Rangers’ offense, and performance has drawn admiration from senior leaders. The New York Post quoted Chris Drury, the Rangers President and General Manager, praising Trocheck’s performance in the playoffs:
“He’s had a terrific season, really good playoffs,” Druray said
Drury went on to describe Trocheck’s presence and leadership:
“He’s a terrific leader, he’s as competitive as they come – those of us who get to see him every day, especially in practice, to me that is one of his biggest attributes. We’re fortunate to have him,” Drury added.
The Rangers are fortunate to have Trocheck, especially considering he was originally drafted by the Florida Panthers. After spending three seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes, Trocheck joined the Rangers. Now, he’s facing the team that drafted him in one of the NHL’s biggest stages.
