Tye Kartye stays hot and gets revenge as Rangers hold off Kraken

SEATTLE — If one thing was inevitable Saturday night, it was Tye Kartye scoring against his former team in his return to the city he played the first 180 games of his NHL career for.Sports can be predictable in that way, but the circumstances were just too perfect for the Rangers’ undrafted forward who happened to be on a hot streak coming into a game against the organization that gave up on him just over eight months ago.Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mollie Walker about the inside buzz on the Rangers.

So naturally the player the Kraken waived just last season was at the heart of the 4-3 win for the Rangers, who picked him up, at Climate Pledge Arena.An always relentless presence on the forecheck, Kartye was overwhelming.He was speedy, intentional with the puck and active in all three zones from start to finish.

Mike Sullivan had no choice but to move him on to the second power play unit, and Kartye rewarded the faith of the Rangers head coach.The first power-play goal he scored was waved off for his distinct kicking motion off the faceoff win.Just 40 seconds later, however, Kartye converted on the Rangers’ man advantage for real with a perfect upwards tip of an Adam Fox shot from the point to give his team a 2-0 lead less than halfway through the first period.It counted as Kartye’s first career power-play goal four years into his NHL career.The Kraken thanked Kartye with a tribute video shortly after, but it is the Rangers who should be thanking the Kraken.Since pulling on a red, white and blue sweater, after scoring his sixth goal of the season Saturday, Kartye has collected 11 goals and 16 assists in 42 games.The Ontario native has been a perfect fit in Sullivan’s system, playing the kind of high-energy puck pursuit game the second-year Rangers coach is looking for out of his team.Captain J.T.

Miller enjoys playing with Kartye, and it’s landed No.24 a second-line assignment for 15 ...