NEW YORK – Mika Zibanejad was still going to point out the flaw in his armor at such a crucial moment in the battle between him and the New Jersey Devils.
The New York Rangers forward was not going to admit that the pressure was starting to weigh heavily on his shoulders. Without a goal in the first five games of this series of first round, we had felt, in the last days, that we were trying to divert the attention of the star of the club.
Thus, we had praised the quality of his defensive game, the importance of collective play and secondary production among the Rangers. Anything to avoid talking about the elephant in the room. Because the Rangers without the contribution of their leading scorer in the regular season (39) were not really themselves.
READ ALSO : Rangers finally solve the Schmid riddle
We write in the past because it belongs precisely to the past. Zibanejad and his squad regained a bit of their identity on Saturday when he finally broke through in a 5-2 victory that saw them avoid elimination and stretch the series to the limit – the game ultimate will take place Monday in New Jersey.
“I just threw and the puck came in, he quipped after the game, probably a little tired of talking about this shortage. In an ideal world, I would score on all my shots, but that would be too easy and this sport is not. It was enough that I continue to trust myself and believe in my teammates. »
It works. And his goal could hardly have been more important. By foiling Akira Schmid with a precise wrist shot from the paying zone, the Swede gave his side a 2-1 lead in the middle of the second – a priority they maintained until the very end of the match.
“It was a huge goal for us,” coach Gerard Gallant said. Mika is obviously one of our best elements. We talked about his importance throughout the season. He wasn’t playing badly, but he’s built to score. That’s what he did in an important moment. »
Video: NJD@NYR, #6: Kreider et Zibanejad s’unissent, prize 2
While Zibanejad was bombarded with questions about his goal at a press conference, Chris Kreider felt the need to come to the rescue of his accomplice by playing down the situation a bit. As if he wanted to avoid rehashing the feelings that inhabited the scorer who did not score.
“We must not forget that he must play with me, he launched. I’m not really a prodigious player. »
One wonders what Kreider would call prodigious, because with his six goals and three assists in six games, he must be approaching the definition of the word. The veteran wasn’t at the heart of Rangers’ production problems, far from it. But he needed help ASAP.
Tarasenko too
Gallant’s men had only scored two goals in their last three games, losses, and they had no room for error. Zibanejad showed signs of life, and Vladimir Tarasenko did the same by scoring his third goal of the series – his first since Game 2.
“They attacked more, analyzed the pilot. We were down 3-2 in the series. The mentality was to attack more and score more goals. Our big guns played hard and found a way to score a few goals against Schmid. […] The big names have risen. It made a big difference. »
Video: NJD@NYR, #6: Tarasenko doubles Rangers lead
Still, we wanted, in the locker room of the New York formation, to avoid giving the impression that the fate of the team rested solely in their hands. It’s not wrong, in a sense. Barclay Goodrow et Braden Schneider also contributed to the attack in this victory.
“You can look at the guys who aren’t producing and all that, but we know here that everyone can make their presence felt,” concluded Adam Fox. That’s what we need. It’s good for the guys who have the pressure to produce to do it, but it will take everyone’s effort. »
Still, it’s always better when the big guns are busy sounding the charge.
2023-04-30 14:21:49
#Mika #Zibanejad #elephant
