Rangers HC Peter Laviolette discloses reason behind Chris Kreider healthy scratch

By Abhishek Dilta

Modified Dec 24, 2024 04:05 GMT

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New York Rangers coach Peter Laviolette explained why Chris Kreider was a healthy scratch during the 5-0 shutout loss to the New York Rangers on Sunday.

The decision raised eyebrows among fans, especially considering the situation with Kaapo Kakko, who was traded to the Seattle Kraken after he was scratched last week.

Laviolette noted that the team isn't playing the type of hockey required for success and believes Kreider is a key player who can help the team get back on track.

The Rangers coach reckons scratching Chris Kreider was the right call to make to push for a better performance:

"At the end of the day, we're not playing a brand that we need to play in order to be successful," the coach said. "He's a guy that we count on to help deliver that. For me, those conversations aren't easy, but that's the decision that I made today."

Kreider only managed one point in his last game, an empty-net goal in the Rangers' 3-1 win against the Dallas Stars last week. The forward has recorded 12 points this season, through 11 goals and one assist, in 30 games.

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Chris Kreider's Rangers thrashed by Devils

On Sunday, the New Jersey Devils came out on top in the Hudson River rivalry showdown, beating the Rangers 5-0 at Prudential Center.

Jack Hughes opened the scoring for the Devils at 4:29 of the first period. The Devils went on to score twice on the power play inside seven minutes. Timo Meier doubled the Devils' lead at 4:41 before Hughes's second of the night put New Jersey 3-0 up before heading into the third period.

The Devils continued their dominance, with Stefan Noesen increasing their lead to 4-0 before Dawson Mercer's power play goal at 12:35 sealed a comprehensive win for the Devils. The Blueshirts registered the season's lowest shots on goal (12) in the matchup.

Chris Kreider and the New York Rangers head into the holiday break with a 16-17-1 record and are seventh in the Metro Division with 33 points. The Blueshirts travel to Amalie Arena next to face the Tampa Bay Lightning (19-11-2) on Saturday.