Vesey Looking to Keep it Simple

Three goals in the first seven games is a nice start to a season, but when you've had the sheer number of scoring chances that Jimmy Vesey had created, a player might start looking at that number in a different light.
But there is one message that Vesey is trying to apply to his game: Don't overthink it. It's something he's trying to impress upon his teammates, too.
"Sometimes it's just simple: shooting more pucks, getting it back to the point and going to the net," Vesey said on Friday. "We had a couple goals in Washington although they were on the power play, they were just simple shots from the point. Kreids (Chris Kreider) deflected one, I put in a rebound. I think we're looking to simplify it a little bit."
After earning three of four points in back-to-back games Tuesday and Wednesday, the Rangers enjoyed a day off Thursday and were back in Westchester on Friday for an energetic practice as they get ready for a pair of upcoming home games, beginning with the Calgary Flames on Sunday night.

"Today was a work day, a lot of skating," Vesey said. "We had a day off yesterday, so sometimes it's good to get the sluggishness out of your system. Today was good."
"It was a good work day for sure," said Brady Skjei. "Coming off a day off it's nice to get your feet underneath you again."

Vesey will see a familiar face when the Flames visit the Garden: He and Johnny Gaudreau were Beanpot opponents when they overlapped at college for two years, from 2012-14, Vesey at Harvard an Gaudreau at Boston College. The two teamed up as linemates for the United States at the World Junior Championships in 2013 - the line of Vesey, Gaudreau and former Ranger J.T. Miller combined on nine goals and 22 points in that tournament's final four games, which the Americans won by a combined 24-5 to claim the gold medal.
This season, Gaudreau has started fast with nine points in the Flames' first six games this season, entering Calgary's home game Friday night against the Predators. Three of those points have been goals, the same number as Vesey - although the Rangers' left winger easily could have a handful more.
"He's had tons of chances. The thing I like about him is he just keeps playing. He hasn't had much of a dip in his game," David Quinn said. "One of the things I like is that his quote-unquote bad game hasn't been bad. I think that's what everybody's trying to do - you're not going to have 82 great nights. You've got to raise your floor. I've liked a lot of his game every time we've played so far this year."

Vesey is averaging 15:59 in ice time over the first seven games, up more than a minute and a half from his season-long average last year. On Wednesday in Washington, he made good on his power-play time by driving the net and knocking in the carom of a Neal Pionk point shot to tie the score in the second period. Vesey managed just one power-play goal last season after scoring five as a rookie in 2016-17.
"We're looking to do that 5-on-5 too, but then our power-play unit specifically, we talked about wanting to shoot it more," Vesey said. "We had a couple power plays early on in that game and we still were kind of moving it around too much. Then Neal fired one - we got a lucky bounce, but we'll take the goal.
"It was a good feeling. The night before (against Colorado) I thought I had about four good looks and none of them fell. We didn't get the extra point in overtime, but it was definitely nice to get rewarded personally."
"As long as he keeps getting chances, the goals will eventually come," Quinn said. "I think they'll come in bundles if he keeps getting this amount of chances."
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The Rangers had 22 players on the ice at Friday's practice, including Matt Beleskey (shoulder) skating in a red no-contact jersey. Kevin Shattenkirk and Freddy Claesson each took a "maintenance day," Quinn said. Quinn said Boo Nieves (concussion protocol) has been skating on his own.
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