Forest ranger Resilience has been such an important theme throughout the Blueshirts’ season and these playoffs and it certainly manifested itself again on Thursday night.
From them 3-2 victory over Carolina it was another hard-fought comeback victory, one that required a quick rejection of a gut-punch of a late goal that could have left a lesser team depressed and, had things developed, suddenly locked in a tight series.
But there was Artemi Panarin in overtime, advancing in front of the Canes’ net. Panarin, the Rangers’ best offensive threat all season, lifted his left leg as he worked his stick to redirect a shot. Vicente Trocheck between his own legs and into the Hurricanes’ goal. Game over.
Bread rising, indeed.
It was another big goal from Panarin, more proof that he could be the kind of playoff heater that will be talked about for years. Panarin, who scored 49 goals and 120 points in his best regular season, scored four goals in these playoffs.
Each of these goals was a game winner.
Not bad for a guy who, 12 months ago, was processing a painful series against the Devils in which he had just two assists as the Rangers’ high expectations were shattered. He was practically invisible in these seven games, a disappointment. Now, of course, he’s an indispensable star for a team that looks like fate could be weighing in on a significant June.
But on Thursday night, it looked like the series with the Hurricanes was about to change drastically when Carolina scored with 1:36 left in regulation to force overtime at PNC Arena.
The Rangers didn’t waver. Just 1:43 into OT, Panarin scored. While celebrating, he kicked a leg. Trocheck and Alexis Lafrenière got assists on the goal, yet another in a long series of moments that show the incredible chemistry the three have developed as one of the best lines in the NHL this season.
“It was a great play by all three”, Rangers coach Pedro Lavioleta said at his postgame press conference in Raleigh, NC. “This is Artemi. He has the talent to make that play. Just a great move from Troch and a great finish from Artemi.”
“It was exciting,” added Lafrenière, who is on his own playoff run, having scored three goals in the last two games. “He’s been incredible for us all year and continues in the playoffs. He’s obviously a great player for us and he’s been incredible.”
“It was just to make sure that we remained resilient, without putting our heads down, obviously we don’t want to give up a goal so late, but to persist, to reach [into locker room] knowing that the next goal wins the game”, Trocheck spoke about the atmosphere after the late equalizer. “The bread spoke in the locker room and then spoke on the ice too.”
Panarin’s four game-winning goals – so far – lead the NHL and also tie a team record also held by three other Rangers. Marcos Messier It is Brian Leech they both did this in 1994 and Frank Boucher did so in 1928. Yes, the Rangers won the Stanley Cup both years, more parallels between this present and other great Blueshirt pasts.
A lot is going right for the Rangers as they have won their first seven playoff games, something they haven’t done since, you guessed it, 1994.
Igor Shesterkin has been tremendous in goal and his penalty kill is disrupting Carolina’s power play, keeping the Canes to 0-for-15 so far and getting a shorthanded goal Chris Kreider On thursday. Trocheck and Mika Zibanejad are racking up seven straight games and Lafrenière is tapping into his outsized potential as the NHL’s shine grows brighter.
Panarin’s points run is more modest – four games. Overall, he had four goals and five assists in seven playoff games.
But the fact that he has had such a huge impact thus far cannot be overstated. Coming into the playoffs, his performance would always be the talk of the Blueshirts. At a time when they won the Presidents’ Trophy, which only reinforced their already high hopes, they needed Panarin to step up like he has all year. He is.
Panarin’s resilience, it seems, is also a big problem.
