Korpisalo sets tone for Rangers in win over Flames

Detailed summary

Joonas Korpisalo came up big for the New York Rangers on Wednesday making 29 saves. But one was bigger than the rest.

CALGARY – Joonas Korpisalo came up big for the New York Rangers on Wednesday making 29 saves. But one was bigger than the rest.

The highlight reel stop that had everyone talking in a 3-1 win over the Calgary Flames came four minutes into the game.

Carrying the puck in the Rangers zone, Zayne Parekh stepped around Eeli Tolvanen then dipsy doodled through Glenn Gawdin. As he darted toward the Rangers net, Parekh instead cut behind the net but his wraparound attempt was denied when Korpisalo, abandoning his goal stick, dove across the crease and stopped the puck on the line with the open hand of his blocker.

“Heck of a play by him. He got me swimming and it’s just straight desperation,” Korpisalo said. “Dropped my stick to get my leverage, to get my blocker there, and I got lucky.”

“I was laughing at the play,” the 20-year-old defencman said. “Seemed a little bit outrageous. But yeah, it was outrageous that he got a blocker on it too. So, I mean, kudos to him.”

In a game that was just getting started in front of a lively home crowd at the Saddledome, it was a pivotal moment.

“That was huge,” Rangers defenceman Braden Schneider said. “They make a great play and get a great look, and he’s able to to come up with one. That’s a game changer. If that goes in, it’s a different look.”

Instead, the Rangers struck first on Mika Zibanejad’s first of two goals, 59 seconds into the second.

New York has been excellent this season with the lead and Wednesday was no exception. The Rangers improved to 12-1-0 when opening the scoring.

Opening of the article, excerpted from Global News. To read the rest, open the article on the publisher's site.