Will Cuylle’s hit could be felt in the stands, through the television screen, even through an iPhone.
It was that vicious.
The Rangers winger nailed Alex Pietrangelo during the third period of the team’s win over the Golden Knights on Sunday, sending him flying in the air with one of the best open-ice hits anyone will see all year.
It was legal, at least in the referees’ eyes, with no penalty being called.
Nicolas Hague immediately made a beeline to Cuylle and challenged him to a fight, and Cuylle quickly obliged.
It sent the Madison Square Garden crowd into a tizzy and fired up his teammates, and the Rangers scored just a few minutes later to extend their lead to 4-2.
The sequence was just the latest — but the most emphatic — example of Cuylle emerging as a Rangers sparkplug and valuable physical presence.
“I think it’s a pretty big part of my game,” Cuylle told The Post after practice on Tuesday. “I think I’ve always played physical from a young age. Last year, I played physical too. I think this year, I’m averaging a bit more hits per game. It’s just always been a part of my game, part of my identity. You can’t score every night or get points all the time. It’s good to contribute in other ways besides the scoresheet. It also adds value to you as a player.”
His 192 total hits this year lead the Rangers by a wide margin.
He has 13 goals and 14 assists as well, but his ferociousness is perhaps his greatest contribution.
The Rangers added needed physicality by trading for J.T. Miller last week.
Miller was the first to commend Cuylle on the ice on Sunday after the hit and fight.
And the Rangers just lost a big piece of their physical presence in Adam Edstrom, who will be out for the foreseeable future with a lower-body injury.
Cuylle only becomes more important.
“I always try to play with lots of energy, play physical,” Cuylle said. “Sometimes when you lay a big hit it can kind of get guys going a bit. Just trying to do my job on the ice.”
Head coach Peter Laviolette paired Miller and Mika Zibanejad, both natural centers, on the same first line during Sunday’s win, moving Zibanejad over to right wing while Miller handled center duties.
Laviolette kept that first line the same during Tuesday’s practice.
“It’s just a starting point,” Laviolette said on Tuesday. “You move down the lineup, you start to lose minutes. I think just trying to keep some players involved in those top couple of lines, top two lines, it allows more minutes, more reps, more time on ice. I didn’t wanna lose anybody so we ended up making adjustments.”
The Rangers get a quick shot at revenge against the Bruins on Wednesday after falling 6-3 on Saturday in Boston.
The Rangers won 2-1 in their first meeting of the season, in January.
