Among the numbers weren’t fairly for Mika Zibanejad in Saturday’s 1-0 shootout win over Columbus at Madison Sq. Backyard, from the pair of penalties he took to the 2 breakaways he missed.
After which he wasn’t capable of rating within the third spherical of the shootout, which might have sealed the victory earlier than Igor Shesterkin was compelled to make a remaining save.
However Zibanejad was an element all through the sport and impressed head coach Peter Laviolette, even when it didn’t end in any offense.
“He was good,” Laviolette stated. “He played a heck of a game for us. He was feeling it. You could see his energy on the ice, how he was attacking the game.”
Zibanejad’s success in shootouts helped sway Laviolette’s determination to make use of him to attempt to end the sport.
“He wanted the shootout and to go back out there,’’ Laviolette said. “We wanted him out there. His numbers [in shootouts] in his career are outstanding.”
Nonetheless, Zibanejad hasn’t picked up a degree in three consecutive video games.
The scoreless streak follows a six-game stretch by which he had two objectives and 4 assists, as his season gave the impression to be turning round, very like the Rangers.
However after scoring at the very least 24 objectives in every of the previous seven seasons, Zibanejad has simply eight up to now this yr.
Sam Carrick entered Saturday with factors in three of his previous 4 video games — and 4 factors in his earlier two video games — because the fourth-wing middle continues to assist propel the Rangers’ latest surge.
Laviolette credited the play of the whole fourth line for giving the staff some much-needed manufacturing all through the lineup.
“They’ve played really well as of late,’’ he said after the team’s morning skate. “You mentioned Sam, he’s playing really well of late, not only doing a good job defensively and physically, he’s contributed offensively. He’s been a top contributor offensively lately. It’s great when you can get that balance from your lines. It takes everybody.”
It’s going to take extra than simply stable play from the fourth line, which has these days additionally featured Adam Edstrom and Matt Rempe, for the Rangers to make up for his or her tough December and make the playoffs.
Nonetheless, Edstrom has offered some offense, as nicely, with two objectives in his earlier three video games heading into Saturday, and Rempe his typical physicality since his return from an eight-game suspension, though he had simply 5:51 of ice time Saturday.
With Igor Shesterkin enjoying Saturday, Jonathan Fast figures to be in internet Sunday when the Rangers go to Montreal.
Fast, who turns 39 Tuesday, is seeking to turn out to be the primary goalie born within the US to achieve 400 profession wins.
He’s misplaced his final two begins and allowed 11 mixed objectives in these two video games.
Fast has been caught at 399 victories since a win over Boston on Jan. 2.
After getting power-play objectives in three straight video games — scoring 4 objectives complete — the Rangers entered Saturday having gone 0-for-6 on the facility play of their earlier two video games.
However their particular groups produced a shorthanded purpose in every of these previous two video games.
Artemi Panarin entered Saturday with factors in 5 of his earlier six video games, with eight factors (together with three objectives) throughout that stretch, having scored a pair of objectives in Utah on Thursday.
Previous to the latest uptick in manufacturing, Panarin scored simply 5 factors in his earlier 10 video games, and the Rangers dropped seven of these matches.
