N.Y. Rangers: Mika Zibanejad Has Entered The Building

From the desk: RAISE GRESCHNER WITH THE GREATS

Rangers lead Capitals; 3-1

I - NYR 4; WAS 2

II - NYR 4; WAS 1

III - WAS 2; NYR 1

IV - NYR 3; WAS 1

Ponder If You Will: Life Without David Quinn

Why is it that since his head coach was placed on quarantine Mika Zibanejad has eight points, and the forward lines without all the nonsensical mixing and matching have played more consistently?  

Or, could it be that Mika is finally over any lingering effects since he himself contracted the COVID virus earlier this year?  

Speculation aside, his goal late in the third-period was rather nifty, converting a defensive takeaway in the Capitals zone into an unassisted game clincher.  After scoring just six points through the first two months and 19 games this season, Mika now has 13 points through eleven games in March.

Pavel Buchnevich appears to be in a similar condition.  After scoring 13 points through the season's first 19 games and at one point getting bumped off the first line by David Quinn, pissed-off Pavel has now scored 15 points through ten games played in March.

Congratulations are also in order, as Bret Howden notched only his twentieth SOG and his first goal of the season ... into an empty net, that is.  He has five points this season, three of which have come in the last four games.

Meanwhile, with or without Quinn, the streaky Chris Kreider is again trending in the opposite direction.  After putting up eleven points during a seven-game stretch, Kreider has since only registered four points in his last eight games, during which time the Rangers have posted a 3-4-1 record. 

Keith Kincaid was back in the net.  He faced 29 shots, four on special teams, and stopped all but one at even strength.  The Rangers blocked 23 other shots.  Otherwise, Kincaid earns his second win since being called up. 

And don't look now, but the Rangers have defeated the Washington Capitals for the third time in four games, over which time they've outscored the Capitals by a 12-6 margin.