DETROIT, MI. — The scoresheet rarely reveals just how integral Barclay Goodrow is to this Rangers team, but it did Friday night.
Behind the third multi-goal game of Goodrow’s 10-year NHL career, the Blueshirts powered to a 4-3 win over the Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena in order to make Detroit’s pursuit of a playoff spot a little more difficult.
The Rangers, who were the first team to clinch a postseason spot, have been in pursuit of solidifying their playoff lineup — and they may have discovered a new option with Goodrow on the left wing of the fourth line.
After scoring just once through his first 71 games of the season, Goodrow now has three goals in the last four games, including the two he posted Friday night.
The utility forward was everywhere in this one: On the forecheck, in the middle of plays and landing haymakers in the corner when called upon.
In the third season of a six-year, $21.85 million deal, Goodrow catches a lot of flak for how his production — or lack thereof — correlates with his contract.
But get this: Before this game, Goodrow had played the most five-on-five minutes (760:33) of any NHL forward with one or zero goals.
The only other forward with 500:00 minutes and one goal is the Blues’ Oskar Sundqvist.
