Sports
Rangers Score Key Goals through Kaapo Kakko and Kid Line
In game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers took the lead at 2:28 into the second period on Kakko’s one-timer tip-in.
Kaapo Kakko might have felt left out.
If he did, he took action.
A work of art was the goal and its setup.
Kakko, who was waiting on the doorstep of the crease to the left of Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, successfully intercepted Fox’s pass through the window between Tampa Bay defensemen Victor Hedman and Jan Rutta.
Seeing the puck until it was behind him was impossible for the Tampa Bay goalie, he never had a chance to react.
When Kakko and Fox reached the bench, the ESPN boom mic picked up Fox saying, “Nice pass, Foxy.”.
In the second period, ‘Laf’ [Lafreniere] hit the post and it was kind of a broken play,” Fox said, “and Fil [Chytil] made a great pass to me and I just tried to get that defense to move a little bit out of the lane and a great tip by Kaapo.”
For Kakko, whose linemates had been making headlines with more big plays of late, it must have been nice to get some recognition.
Despite being a member of the Rangers’ energetic, headline-grabbing Kid Line, Kakko had not scored a goal since Game 3 of the first-round series against Pittsburgh.
A goal is always a good feeling,” Kakko said afterward. Foxy dribbled the puck and made a nice pass to me before I stayed in front of the net. My job was easy. All I had to do was shoot.
In 15 postseason games, the 21-year-old winger had scored one goal and three assists. On the other hand, his teammates have been stellar.
He has seven goals and two assists in 16 playoff games, including two goals in the second period of Wednesday night’s 6-2 win over the Lightning. Alexandre Lafreniere has seven assists and two goals.
Rangers coach Gerard Gallant was asked about Kakko and his linemates playing well, and he responded: “It was great to see him score.”. “He is a big kid who gets into that blue paint and scores big goals.”. Congratulations, Kaapo.
