Artemi Panarin Punches New York Rangers Ticket to Round Two

From the desk: RAISE GRESCHNER WITH THE GREATS

RANGERS def. PENGUINS; 4-3

I - PITT 4; NYR3

II - NYR 5; PITT 2

III - PITT 7; NYR 4

IV - PITT 7; NYR 2

V - NYR 5; PITT 3

VI - NYR 5; PITT 3

VII - NYR 4; PITT 3

The Bread Man Delivers!  

Everyone knows the playoffs are a different animal.  It requires a more straightforward and more barbaric approach than the regular season.  

The Rangers' top forwards clearly needed time to figure that out.  Maybe they were overthinking things - paralysis by analysis.  Because the kids, Filip Chytil, Alexis LaFreniere, and Kakko Kappo, played more free and easy as if being too young and inexperienced to know playoff pressure.  Down in the series three games to one, Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider finally stepped up to become the decisive factors in games five and six.  

Chris Kreider opened the scoring in game seven at the 7:36 mark.  At 14:15 of the third period, Mika Zibanejad scored the game-tying goal, and they went into overtime at Madison Square Garden.

After a most frustrating series, Artemi Panarin saved his best for last.  He received criticism for failing to put more shots on the net throughout the series.  He spent his time trying to be a facilitator, always looking to pass first.  It's what he does.  Artemi led the Rangers with 74 assists and 96 points during the regular season.  However, he entered game seven with six points (two goals, four assists) through damn near 21 periods of hockey.  The first three periods on Sunday changed little.

Alas, when the team needed another hero, Panarin answered the call.  He took a team-high five shots on goal, and at 4:46 of overtime, Artemi put the biscuit in the basket to send the Rangers into a round two matchup against the Carolina Hurricanes.

I'm an older fan now, so I'm not easily impressed.  But Chris Kreider has become such an incredible leader for this team.  The unnamed captain led the Rangers with five dramatic goals, snatched an iPad from the hands of Mika Zibanejad, smashed it on the floor, and told his linemate to stop second-guessing himself.  

The series also changed when Ryan Lindgren returned to the ice.  Just ask Sidney Crosby, who Lindgren showed mercy on when the Penguin captain was poking at Igor Shesterkin.

K'Andre Miller was brilliant throughout, smart, effective, and tough, and Igor Shesterkin is a star, and soon he'll have the hardware to prove it.

That was a hell of an education for the youngsters and some fine tutoring by the veterans.