Jacob Trouba's physicality leading the way for Rangers
Highlighted by his play in Monday night’s 5-4 overtime win against the Calgary Flames, defenseman Jacob Trouba has solidified himself as the correct choice for the New York Rangers' 28 th captain.
Trouba dished out punishing hits, one in the first period on Calgary forward Dillon Dube and another on forward Nazem Kadri in the second.
Both hits were clean but resulted in Trouba having to fight Flames players standing up for their teammates. However, those scuffles put New York on the power play, and one of them led to a Mika Zibanejad goal, putting the Rangers up 3-2 in the second period.
In addition to the power plays that followed, Trouba’s hits sent energy through the team and the packed house at Madison Square Garden.
Trouba did not record a shot on goal and was sitting in the penalty box for 10 of the game’s 61-plus minutes due to his two fights, but his hits made an impact on the game and created an electric, playoff-type atmosphere that helped New York overcome a deficit.
All season long, Trouba has led not with high-end offense or flashy moves but with his physicality.
Against the Chicago Blackhawks in December, with the Rangers in a rut, Trouba laid a huge hit on Chicago forward Andreas Athanasiou. While skating off the ice after getting in a scrap following the hit, Trouba yelled to his teammates on the bench and threw his helmet in an attempt to fire up the team.
The Rangers fired off a seven-game win streak following that Dec. 3 game and have a 17-4-3 record in the 24 games since.
Trouba’s leadership and energy, both on and off the ice, have been major catalysts for that success and are what this team needs if it is to have a deep playoff run.
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