The Rangers seemingly have found a motor for a type of third line the team hasn’t had in some time.
Rookie Noah Laba is a puck-hunting bull whose sheer mass is not only physically imposing but comes at you way faster than you would expect from a 6-foot-3, 214-pound skater.
Becoming harder to play against is the Blueshirts’ ultimate goal, and nothing was more vigorous than the play Laba made to help set up Vladislav Gavrikov’s 2-0 score in the club’s 4-2 win over the Senators on Thursday night in Ottawa.
Trucking over Dennis Gilbert to steal the puck at center ice, the 22-year-old bulldozed into Ottawa’s zone, shook off Senators captain Brady Tkachuk and maintained possession in order to allow the other four Rangers on the ice to set up.
Laba, who didn’t earn a point on the play, wasn’t even on the ice anymore as the puck made its way to Gavrikov.
“It was critical,” head coach Mike Sullivan said of the sequence. “I thought Labs was physical all night. He brings a speed element with his size and his strength. When he brings some physicality to his game I think he’s a lot more effective. I thought the third line [with Will Cuylle and Brett Berard], once again, brought a lot of energy. Their identity is built on speed and tenacity.
“I thought those guys, as a group, did a pretty good job just helping us create momentum, getting in on the forecheck, wearing Ottawa down with their possession game. Labs is an important aspect of that. I thought this was one of his more physical games that he’s had in a while.”
After making enough of an impression to crack the Opening Night lineup out of his first Rangers training camp, Laba has only earned more and more of Sullivan’s trust.
It’s reflected in the center’s ice time on occasions, as well as his increased penalty-killing responsibilities.
Through his first 29 games, Laba has four goals and four assists with a plus-five rating.
Sullivan noted it was his responsibility to protect Laba to ensure he is not overwhelmed less than 30 games into his NHL career, but the veteran coach also said the Michigan native has earned every opportunity he has gotten.
Laba’s learning curve has been steep, according to Sullivan, who has marveled at the youngster’s commitment and enthusiasm for the process.
Thursday was only Laba’s second game with Cuylle and Berard, but the trio has looked promising.
They combined for 18 hits and 15 shots on goal in that span, playing a straight-ahead game that threatened both offensively and physically.
Sullivan has pointed to the need for some better puck management from Laba, especially in the “critical areas of the rink.”
That is to be expected for a rookie who is navigating his first NHL season.
For a team that came into the season unsure of who their third-line center was going to be, however, the Rangers appear to have someone who could stick in Laba.
“I think he plays with courage,” Mika Zibanejad said of Laba. “He holds onto pucks. He skates with the puck. Doesn’t seem like a whole lot is bothering him and fazing him.”
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