Is Alexis Lafrenière turning the corner? Seven goals make the case

Alexis Lafrenière scored twice in the first period of the Rangers’ 4–1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, October 13. The goals extended his scoring streak to a career-best four games and gave him seven goals in that stretch.

Lafrenière started slowly for a first overall pick. He is now a full-fledged 25-goal scorer, and he looks like a guy who could score 40, at least. He has grown into his body and looks more comfortable playing his game.

Two goals against Tampa Bay

The opening goal came 62 seconds into the game. Tye Kartye retrieved the puck behind the Tampa Bay net and sent it into the slot, where Lafrenière finished. Kartye and Adam Fox received the assists.

His second goal, at 12:47, came off a much longer pass. Kartye lifted the puck out of the defensive zone and into Lafrenière’s path. Lafrenière got behind the defenders, controlled the puck in stride and finished the breakaway against Andrei Vasilevskiy. Kartye and J.T. Miller received the assists. That second goal stood as the game-winner.

Lafrenière’s four-game goal streak began with his October 6 hat trick against the Islanders. He followed that with a goal at Washington, a goal against Vancouver and the two against Tampa Bay. He has seven goals and 10 points through the Rangers’ first eight games.

Eight goals in the 2024 playoffs

His 2024 playoff run is why I’ll always respect his game. He scored eight goals in 16 games and finished plus-2 as the Rangers reached the Eastern Conference Final. To me, he has already proven he can play.

He scored 28 goals in 2023–24 and 24 last season.

A Quebec hockey throwback

Lafrenière feels like a hockey throwback: born in Saint-Eustache, Quebec, developed with the Rimouski Océanic in the QMJHL, then selected first overall in 2020. Once upon a time, you couldn’t get much more hockey than that.

Here’s to hoping he can score 50 goals. Go, Lafrenière!