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The New York Rangers secured their second consecutive victory on Tuesday night, defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning. This marked the second time this season that the Rangers have beaten one of the league's top teams.
While the Rangers also defeated the Lightning on Opening Night at Madison Square Garden, the team now presents a different look. Although the season is still young, New York has already faced significant adversity and dealt with notable injuries.
The Rangers are currently without both of their top goaltenders and fourth-line center Joe Veleno. Despite these early setbacks, the team has not missed a beat.
Entering the season, New York largely kept their lines intact throughout training camp and the preseason. However, recent adjustments have been made to shake things up.
One such decision was moving Tye Kartye off the fourth line, a change that has quickly paid dividends.
Kartye Thriving on Second Line
Despite the Rangers' overall success, they have made several line tweaks. The most prominent move placed Pavel Dorofeyev on the first line and shifted Alexis Lafreniere to the second. Additionally, Kartye was recently promoted from the fourth line.
Over the past two games, the 25-year-old winger has found his rhythm alongside his new linemates. In the win over the Vancouver Canucks, Kartye helped the Rangers reach a season-high six goals, scoring twice for a multi-goal performance.
In the most recent victory over the Lightning, Kartye contributed by setting up Lafreniere on both of his goals. The first assist came after a gritty battle along the boards to get the puck to Lafreniere. The second was a long backhanded pass down the ice to a streaking Lafreniere, who finished well despite a defender on his hip, giving Kartye his second assist of the game.
With two goals and two assists in the last two games, the 25-year-old is performing at a very high level. The decision to move him to the second line has worked out thus far, as Lafreniere and J.T. Miller have developed good chemistry.
Nick Ziegler is an alumnus of the Connecticut School of Broadcasting. He has been working in sports media covering the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL for nearly a decade with various publications online. He is currently the publisher for the New York Rangers On SI Site. In his free time, Nick enjoys being at the Jersey Shore with his wife, daughter, and their golden retriever. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @NickZiegler20.