Garand, Kartye lead Rangers to 4-2 win over Lightning in season finale

Dylan Garand and Tye Kartye helped the New York Rangers close out their massively disappointing centennial season with a feel-good 4-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning at Benchmark International Arena on Wednesday.

Garand stopped 29 of 31 shots in his third NHL start, closing out the season with 13 saves in the third period. Kartye scored two goals and finished with three points, each for the first time in his four-season NHL career.

The Rangers (34-39-9) earned their 20th road victory, extending their franchise record to five consecutive seasons reaching that total. However, despite a more spirited finish to the season, the Rangers failed to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the second consecutive year and now face a very important offseason, with their retool in full swing.

Through two periods, the Rangers were out-shot 17-15 overall, and at 5v5 were out-chanced 16-8 (including a whopping 11-2 in high-danger scoring chances), and had a dismal expected goal share of 22.88 percent, per Natural Stat Trick. Yet they led on the scoreboard 4-1, thanks, in part, to far better play between the pipes from their goaltender.

Garand made three solid stops against the Lightning in the opening minutes, and the Rangers rewarded him at 4:02 when Kartye zipped a shot from the right circle short side past former Rangers draft pick Brandon Halverson to give the visitors the lead, and what turned out to be the only goal of the period.

They did come close to doubling their advantage at 5:22, but Will Cuylle’s shot from the right circle clanged off the post far side behind Halverson. And that 1-0 lead held up when Garand made two excellent saves in the final minute, including a right-pad beauty to rob Yanni Gourde on the doorstep.

Kartye scored his second of the night just 1:29 into the second period, beating a Lightning defenseman to the puck in the left circle, and hammering his eighth goal of the season past Halverson.

That wasn’t exactly a great goal-against allowed by the Lightning netminder. But the next one was even more egregious. Gabe Perreault floated a long-range shot that beat Halverson glove side — perhaps he was screened — for his 12th goal and 3-0 Rangers lead at 4:49 of the second period.

The Lightning got one back at 11:15, when Oliver Bjorkstrand showed some silky mitts down low to score his 12th goal, this one on a rebound. But less than two minutes later, New York’s lead was back to three, when Mika Zibanejad redirected a slick pass from Alexis Lafreniere into the cage for a power-play goal at 12:46.

Corey Perry scored for the Lightning just 51 seconds into the third period to make it 4-2. However, the Rangers killed off a Lightning power play at 1:29, and Tampa Bay’s Scott Sabourin rang a shot off the post shortly thereafter, to maintain a two-goal lead.

It remained 4-2 when Garand made a big-time save on Brandon Hagel off an odd-man Lightning rush. Several minutes later, Charle-Edouard D’Astous kissed iron on another Lightning attempt.

Finally, Garand and his teammates shut the door, killing off a Lightning power play in the final minutes, with the rookie goaltender making a string of outstanding saves during the 6-on-4 (the Lightning pulled Halverson for an extra attacker).

And with that, the 2025-26 season came to an end.

Key takeaways after Rangers defeat Lightning 4-2

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Garand makes his case

Garand made three starts down the stretch, his first three in the NHL, and he was excellent in each one. The 23-year-old fourth-year pro allowed five goals on 96 shots, never allowing more than two goals, and winning two straight starts after a 3-2 shootout loss to the Winnipeg Jets.

He was exceptionally sharp again Wednesday, and oozed plenty of poise and confidence, mixed with a bit of flair, in all three starts. It’s hard to imagine Garand could’ve done more to impress the Rangers, who need to find a backup for Igor Shesterkin next season, now that Jonathan Quick announced his retirement earlier in the week.

How motivated is Garand to land the No. 2 role on Broadway next season?

“A lot. I never want to go back to the American League, honestly. I’m so hungry to be here. I want to be in this league and a part of this organization,” Garand said postgame. “There’s nothing else like it. It’s the best league in the world, so yeah, it’s been a great taste. I’m definitely going in the summer very motivated to be back here.”

Kartye is a keeper

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Who would’ve thought that one of the biggest success stories this season is a player who the Rangers claimed off waivers in late February? Well, Kartye sure looks like a keeper after being cast aside by the Seattle Kraken.

The soon to be 25-year-old forward scored five goals and totaled 14 points in 24 games with the Rangers, the highest production rate in his career. Plus, his energy was infectious, penalty killing superb, and positive attitude most welcome. He’s a great fit on the third line, and under contract for one more season at an affordable salary cap hit of $1.25 million.

Last Laf

Lafreniere finished with a flourish, recording 28 points in his final 26 games, to tie his career high with 57 points. That’s a helluva swing in the right direction, considering his subpar production most of the season. That it coincided with being placed on the new top line centered by Zibanejad, and with the 20-year-old Perreault on the other wing, is one of the biggest positives heading into the offseason.

The chemistry on that line was almost instant. And it continued right through the final game of the season. Zibanejad, named earlier in the day as both team MVP and winner of the Players’ Player Award, closed out his best campaign in a few years leading the Rangers with 34 goals, 78 points, and 16 power-play goals, after picking up one more goal and assist Wednesday.

Trocheck farewell?

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Vincent Trocheck held an extended embrace with Zibanejad before the veteran forwards skated off the ice for the final time this season. Will it be the final time they share the ice as teammates? The Rangers nearly parted ways with the 32-year-old center ahead of the March 6 trade deadline, but kept him when GM Chris Drury didn’t like any of the return packages being offered.

The feeling is that trading Trocheck offers the Rangers their best chance to turbo charge their retool. Plus, it appears Trocheck is ready for the move since he and his family already prepared for it last month. So, he very well could be a goner this summer.

If so, the Rangers say goodbye to one of their best free-agent signings in recent history. He was pointless Wednesday; and, despite missing 15 games due to injury, finished tied for fourth on the team with 53 points (16 goals, 37 assists) and was among the League leaders winning 56.9 percent of his face-offs.

He will be sorely missed in so many ways if indeed the Rangers trade Trocheck in the coming months.

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