Stars shine in Rangers' Game 1 win over Hurricanes, flashing special playoff potential

Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider were sitting next to each other in the interview room, moments after the frenetic ending of the Rangers’ 4-3 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes Sunday, when a question was posed about the significance of so many of their top offensive threats -- both aforementioned gentlemen included, of course -- having had an impact on the win.

Neither answered at first. Then Kreider said to Zibanejad, deadpan: “You had two goals.”

In other words, you take this one, Mika. So Zibanejad did, noting that it feels good, “as an offensive guy” to contribute to a victory. But, Zibanejad added, “It’s one game. We’ve got to keep going.”

He’s right, of course, especially against a feisty, determined Carolina team. But if the Rangers continue to get such dynamic output from their best players their season could be special -- like, 30-years-ago special.

Zibanejad was just one of the Rangers stars to soar in Game 1 of the second-round series -- totaling, as Kreider said, two goals and an assist. Kreider had two assists, including a nifty backhand, no-look pass to Zibanejad for a goal, a delivery that ought to live on scoreboard highlight packages at MSG for some time.

Artemi Panarin had a goal -- his third game-winning score of the playoffs -- a huge start for someone who has heard his share of blame for a poor first-round series against the Devils last year. And Vincent Trocheck scored, had an assist and buzzed around the ice the way he always does.

Igor Shesterkin allowed three goals, but he was also “our best penalty killer,” Kreider said. The Rangers’ PK, against the second-best power play in hockey, killed off all five Carolina power plays, a total of eight minutes and six seconds.

In the first round, much was made of the Rangers' depth, especially in the opener of that series against Washington, when the fourth line did so much heavy lifting, including that Matt Rempe goal. Sings as a narrative, but the Rangers won the Presidents’ Trophy mostly because of their big names.

Not that no one else contributed. Peter Laviolette, the Rangers head coach, stressed the idea that, “inside of a long playoff series, you really need everybody playing well.” Sounds like something a coach would say and he does have a point.

For instance, the Rangers blocked 28 shots -- six by Jacob Trouba -- against the Hurricanes, discombobulating an offense that’s fueled by pouring shots on goal. That’s the most blocks by the Rangers in a single game in these playoffs, against a team that was third in the league in shots per game this year.

But Laviolette also admitted that to have the players who had such an outsized impact on the offense all year thrive in Game 1 “was really good. Hopefully, they do continue to gain some confidence from that.”

They should. It was exactly the start needed by a team that had a week layoff after sweeping Washington in the first round. The Rangers were flying around the ice, scored a quick goal and then responded quickly after Carolina got a fast equalizer. No rust.

Their power-play shredded the top-ranked PK unit in the NHL on their only two chances, scoring twice in just 23 seconds of man-advantage time.

“Every team wants to have a good start,” Zibanejad said. “But we really wanted to have a good start especially at home, Game 1, been off for a few days and were able to rest, and I thought that was noticeable. When we were able to score on our chances early on and get a little momentum, that was good.”

Panarin’s goal gave the Rangers a two-goal lead at the 8:21 mark of the third period, but Carolina cut it to one by scoring with the goalie pulled with 1:45 left. The Rangers managed to hang on, but the ’Canes showed that they will not go away.

“Really, (there was) 20 seconds worth of specialty time where we just didn't execute and they did,” Carolina head coach Rod Brind’Amour said.

Other than that, “we had a pretty good game,” Brind’Amour added.

Still, the Rangers, lifted by their stars, prevailed. Maybe more than anything -- the parallels to 1994 that folks can’t stop talking about, puck luck or even the ’Canes themselves -- those Blueshirt big names could dictate how the rest of the series unfolds, too.