Zac Jones takes advantage of rare opportunity in Rangers lineup
With the Rangers missing two of their top defensemen, Jacob Trouba and Ryan Lindgren, on Saturday night against the Ottawa Senators they knew they needed someone to step up and play big on the blue line.
Youngster Zac Jones proved to be just the man for the job for the struggling squad.
The 23-year-old slotted in alongside veteran Erik Gustafsson on New York’s second defensive pairing, and when the team needed a spark, he found a way to make his mark on the offensive end.
“It sucks losing Lindy and Troubs their two big parts of this team,” Jones said. “I was just coming in and playing my game and doing what I do out there and not worrying about any of the outside noise or stuff like that.”
Jones certainly was locked in, as he recorded the third multi-point game of his career.
Just 39 seconds after Alexis Lafreniere buried his 12th goal of the season to even things up at two, the blueliner broke in on a 2-on-1 and fired home a one-time feed from Artemi Panarin to give New York the lead for good.
“It was a great shift by all of us,” Jones said. “Great play by Troch [Vincent Trocheck] stepping up and making the defensive play and I saw Bread get the puck and anytime you see him get the puck you just try to find some open space cause he’s going to find you.
“I just had the easy part, get to the net, it was a great play all around.”
Two minutes and four seconds after that, Jones found his way onto the scorer's sheet again, as Johnny Brodzinski parked himself in front of the net and deflected the defenseman’s shot home for New York’s fourth of five second-period goals.
Jones finished the 7-2 win as an incredible +4 on the night with his second career goal, an assist, two shots on goal, two takeaways, and a hit across 14 minutes of ice time.
The former third-round pick has appeared in just 16 games this season, and 54 during his career, but each time his name has been called he’s stepped up and played well for the Blueshirts.
“I’m just trying to be positive and stay ready, that’s my mindset," Jones said. "It’s just about coming in with a positive attitude every day and whenever the time comes just being ready. Things like today happen with Trouba and Lindy out, so you just have to be ready whenever you never know when that time is going to come and you’re going to show up to the rink and be in the lineup."
