There were under 30 seconds to go in the third period, the Rangers were protecting a one-goal lead in this first game of the second round, and there was Mika Zibanejad, on his knees in the neutral zone, desperately attempting to advance the puck and seal the match with an empty-netter.
The effort fell about an inch short when the puck was swept away from the crease at the last moment
The effort did not fall short at all.
It was 4-3 for the Blueshirts over Carolina at the Garden for the one-game jump in this series between two of the NHL’s best three teams that had a nasty edge to it throughout the tilt. Neither club tiptoed into this series that will continue Tuesday. This was zero-to-60 in an instant coming off the first round against the Capitals.
The Rangers and their marquee guys floored it from the start. Zibanejad scored twice against Frederik Andersen, once at five-on-five and once on the power play. Vincent Trocheck got one and so did Artemi Panarin, No. 10 recording his third game-winner of the playoffs by scoring the goal that made it 4-2 at 8:21 of the third before Carolina responded.
It is still early in the tournament, but no one ever tried to keep it a secret that the Rangers’ top guns would be scrutinized heavily under the postseason spotlight, and especially so after last year’s first-round failure that struck to the heart of the team. The Rangers’ best guys have known it all year.
They don’t talk much about it — what would be the point? — but the guys above the title on the marquee, and specifically Zibanejad and Panarin, prepped for this all year. They are as ready as they will ever be for their closeups. Because it’s not only about them, it is about the structure with which they have been supported.
Zibanejad, who has 10 points (3-7) in the playoffs off a three-point performance, was asked about the significance of the team’s top guys getting on the board quickly. This was not part of the question, but it was something No. 93 did not do in the 2022 second-round series against Carolina, when the match against Jordan Staal dominated the discourse.
“Obviously it’s easier to sit here and talk about it after a win,” Zibanejad said. “Obviously as an offensive guy you want to get involved.
“When you score you’re able to contribute to a win, and that’s a good feeling, but it’s just one game. We have to keep it up.”
Mika the Mouth that Roared!
Over and over, everyone knows. Zibanejad did not have his best season, even if he was a linchpin on both the power play and penalty kill and was as efficient away from the puck as always. Something, though, was missing. But the Swede began to ramp it up toward the end of the regular season. He has carried that level of engagement into the playoffs.
“He’s turned it up a notch for sure,” said Trocheck, who combines with Zibanejad in a supercharged 1A/1B rotation down the middle. “Mika is very soft-spoken and mild-tempered, always, but he’s competitive and we all can see that.
“He leads by example.”
Zibanejad got on the board at the 2:46 mark of the first period, surveying the situation high in the zone before driving to the net and converting Jack Roslovic’s neat centering feed from the slot while Staal was up in the circle looking for someone else.
After Carolina tied it, Zibanejad completed a brilliant power play by finishing Chris Kreider’s blind backhand feed that came after Trocheck’s blind backhand feed for a 2-1 lead at 10:05 of the period. Zibanejad also got a helper on Trocheck’s PPG that gave the Blueshirts a 3-1 lead by the end of the period.
The Rangers did not play nearly enough in the Canes’ end over the last 30 minutes. They needed Igor Shesterkin to come to the rescue a little too often for comfort. The Rangers’ PK was perfect while short 8:06 but there should be no question that the goaltender was the team’s best penalty killer.
And while the next-level power play converted on both opportunities, the Rangers were awarded only those two opportunities while the Canes were awarded five power plays. That’s an equation the Blueshirts need to reverse.
Zibanejad is the second senior Ranger behind Kreider, acquired from Ottawa over the summer of 2016 in Jeff Gorton’s all-time trade for Derik Brassard. He is the club’s best center since Mark Messier. The good and the bad of franchise history has attached to him. He’s aware. A lot of his career is going to be defined by this tournament.
Let’s bring it back to the first period. Zibanejad, who already had scored twice, had a hat trick on his stick when he was fed the puck all alone 15 feet in front of Andersen with 1:10 remaining. Of course, he tried a circus back pass to Panarin that, uh, failed.
“I made the decision to try and get the goalie to freeze,” he said. “As I was turning back I saw Bread coming, I don’t think he thought I was going to pass it to him, so, honestly I mean, you could probably say I should have shot it [but] I don’t care.
“If I have that again, I’ll do whatever decision I think is best at the moment … but this was not my greatest decision.”
Live and learn.
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