Drew Fortescue of Pearl River made a solid first impression.
The rookie defenseman, who joined the Rangers this week after his season at Boston College concluded, assisted on Jonny Brodzinski’s third period goal in the Blueshirts’ 6-1 win over Chicago at Madison Square Garden on March 27.
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Fortescue was one piece of a Rangers youth movement statement with 10 games left in the regular season. Rookie goaltender Dylan Garand picked up his first NHL win, making 27 saves on 28 shots. Rookie winger Adam Sykora scored his first NHL goal. Garand, Sykora and Fortescue were named the three stars of the game.
Fortescue, who attended high school at Don Bosco Prep in New Jersey, logged 17:23 of ice time in his NHL debut in front of his parents and hundreds of friends and family members.
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Drew Fortescue of Pearl River makes NHL debut with NY Rangers March 27
Mar 27, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers defenseman Drew Fortescue (45) takes the ice for his rookie lap during warmups before a game against the Chicago Blackhawks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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Drew Fortescue of Pearl River makes NHL debut with NY Rangers March 27
Mar 27, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers defenseman Drew Fortescue (45) takes the ice for his rookie lap during warmups before a game against the Chicago Blackhawks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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Drew Fortescue of Pearl River makes NHL debut with NY Rangers March 27
Mar 27, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers defenseman Drew Fortescue (45) takes the ice for his rookie lap before warmups before a game against the Chicago Blackhawks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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Drew Fortescue of Pearl River makes NHL debut with NY Rangers March 27
Mar 27, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers defenseman Drew Fortescue (45) skates his rookie lap during warmups before a game against the Chicago Blackhawks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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Drew Fortescue of Pearl River makes NHL debut with NY Rangers March 27
Mar 27, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers defenseman Drew Fortescue (45) skates his rookie lap during warmups before a game against the Chicago Blackhawks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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Drew Fortescue of Pearl River makes NHL debut with NY Rangers March 27
Mar 27, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers defenseman Drew Fortescue (45) skates his rookie lap during warmups before a game against the Chicago Blackhawks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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Drew Fortescue of Pearl River makes NHL debut with NY Rangers March 27
Mar 27, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers defenseman Drew Fortescue (45) skates his rookie lap during warmups before a game against the Chicago Blackhawks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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Drew Fortescue of Pearl River makes NHL debut with NY Rangers March 27
Mar 27, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers defenseman Drew Fortescue (45) skates against Chicago Blackhawks right wing Ilya Mikheyev (95) during the first period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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Drew Fortescue of Pearl River makes NHL debut with NY Rangers March 27
Mar 27, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers defenseman Drew Fortescue (45) skates against the Chicago Blackhawks during the first period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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Drew Fortescue of Pearl River makes NHL debut with NY Rangers March 27
Mar 27, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers defenseman Drew Fortescue (45) skates against the Chicago Blackhawks during the first period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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Drew Fortescue of Pearl River makes NHL debut with NY Rangers March 27
Mar 27, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers defenseman Drew Fortescue (45) skates with the puck against the Chicago Blackhawks during the first period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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Drew Fortescue of Pearl River makes NHL debut with NY Rangers March 27
Mar 27, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers defenseman Drew Fortescue (45) skates against the Chicago Blackhawks during the second period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
“It was something you always dream about and for it to finally come true, I couldn’t have wanted it any other way,” Fortescue told reporters and MSG Network cameras after the game. “It was awesome and it was a day I’ll always remember.
As is NHL custom, Fortescue took a “rookie lap,” a trip around the ice by himself before his teammates joined in pre-game warmup.
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“I was trying not to fall at first,” Fortescue told MSG Network after the game. “Just the support I have and all these people coming here for me. You get on the ice and you hear them kind of erupt and it means the world to me. All those people are so important in my life and I couldn’t be here without them. For all them to come and support me on this day sure means a lot.”
Rangers coach Mike Sullivan praised Fortescue’s debut.
“I thought he was solid,” Sullivan told reporters in the postgame press conference. “I thought he played the game with composure. He didn’t just throw pucks away. He made some outlet passes, he had good poise. He had a high panic threshold. He didn’t throw pucks away when he was under pressure. He protected it. He defended well. I think he’s got a good stick. Decent mobility. There’s a lot to like about Drew’s game for such a young kid in his first NHL game. I thought he played really well.”
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Drew Fortescue of Pearl River gets first NHL point in NY Rangers debut