Mika Zibanejad Continues to Deliver For The New York Rangers

This could have been a turning point if Carolina had rallied to win the game. Now, the Hurricanes did rally, and Panarin’s goal in the third period stood as the winner, but could you have imagined what the papers would have written if the Rangers had lost the game?

Luckily for Zibanejad, they did not. He still had a fantastic game. But if he had that play to do over again, he would probably shoot and try to score to put the game away at that point. The Rangers were rolling, and the way the Hurricanes could rally, putting the game out of reach after 20 minutes, would have been the smartest play.

For the most part, Zibanejad has delivered on the Rangers’ power play, but his five-on-five has taken off. Again, he is no stranger to big moments. He scored the game-winning golden goal for Team Sweden at the 2012 World Junior Hockey Championships.

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In addition, in 63 career playoff games, Zibanejad has recorded 57 points (19 goals and 38 assists). During the Rangers’ trip to the Eastern Conference Final in 2022, Zibanejad scored 24 points (10 goals and 14 assists) in 20 games. So when the bright lights of the big city are on him, he delivers for the New York Rangers.

However, Rangers fans wanted more from him, given how last season ended with just four points in a seven-game series loss to the New Jersey Devils. This season, through five games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Zibanejad has 10 points (three goals and seven assists). He has registered at least a point in the first five games for the Rangers in the playoffs.

Mika Zibanejad also has a six-game point streak in the playoffs against the Hurricanes. Over those six games, Zibanejad has registered 11 points (six goals and five assists). So when the puck drops on Game 2, look for Zibanejad and the Rangers to come out flying.

We all know Mika Zibanejad is a talented player. He goes to another level on the power play with Artemi Panarin and Chris Kreider. Not to mention Adam Fox. But five-on-five, he plays with Kreider and new addition Jack Roslovic. Roslovic continues to make an impact for the Rangers.

General Manager Chris Drury got him from the Columbus Blue Jackets at the deadline. Nobody was quite sure what Roslovic was going to be on the Rangers. Nobody knew if he could play on the top line with Zibanejad and Kreider. Roslovic fits in perfectly with the Zach Hyman role, as we see with the Edmonton Oilers. Roslovic always wanted Zibanejad and Kreider to be more accessible on the ice.

Everyone knew the Rangers won the Mika Zibanejad trade with the Ottawa Senators; however, given what has happened, it is an even bigger win than initially thought.