Chris Kreider adds another notable playoff moment to Rangers’ storied career

Larry Brooks

NHL

By Larry Brooks

RALEIGH, N.C. — His signing is omnipresent in recent Rangers history. You can not miss it. Just like no one, no one, could miss it here on Thursday night.

THE. National. Hockey. League. Saw. Chris.

Number 20 came as close as possible to number 11, as it was Rangers senior Chris Kreider who recorded a natural hat trick in the third period to help the Rangers overcome a 3-1 deficit and to record a match. 6 5-3 victories against the Canes.

This will be the Blueshirts’ fifth trip to the conference finals in the 13 years since Kreider joined the team fresh out of Boston College for the first round of the 2012 tournament. He was there for Adam Henrique. He was there for Jonathan Quick. He hit Carey Price once. He was there for Tampa Bay’s disappointment. He was there for La Lettre.

And Kreider was there in the locker room after the second period Thursday. He stood up and said he would take one. He lied. He had three.

He got three in the third period the same way Mark Messier got three in the third period at Meadowlands in 1994 in another pretty important Game 6 when the Blueshirts were down 2-1 to the Devils after 40 and in danger of ‘be eliminated.

Game 6 in 1994.

Game 6, 30 years later.

And the Rangers are halfway through the Canyon of Heroes which should make room for Kreider, a reluctant hero at that. When I asked him what this achievement meant to him personally, he responded as I expected.

“You’re going to hate this answer,” he said. “That means we have to play more hockey.”

Igor Shesterkin was spectacular as Rangers opened the scoring early on in a bid to generate more offense. They forechecked, worked and rolled, but the Canes were able to capitalize on coverage errors to take a 3-1 advantage.

Much like the 1994 Game 6 Devils, the 2024 Game 6 Canes have had plenty of glorious opportunities to salt him. They couldn’t. Sébastien Aho missed the net on a breakaway after Erik Gustafsson and Braden Schneider collided on the defensive line. Shesterkin stopped Jake Guentzel with the button of his stick, and he stoned Jordan Staal at point-blank range midway through the third when it was 3-2.

He gave the Rangers a chance to come back like Mike Richter did in Game 6 in 1994. Yes, I know, it wasn’t a playoff game. But it certainly was. I really felt like it was going to be decision day.

It was decided by Kreider – third in franchise history with 304 goals, behind retired numbers #7 (Rod Gilbert) and #19 (Jean Ratelle), and first in franchise history with 47 goals in the playoffs, seven this year. This was decided by the player who won the first Mr. Ranger Award in 2022.

It is the night that ensures that No. 20 hangs on No. 7 and that it hangs on No. 19 and that it hangs on No. 11 on the ceiling of the windmill at the top of the garden.

“It’s just a monstrous third period. I mean, he put it on his back,” said head coach Peter Laviolette. “He really delivered on his promises.

“There were more than him, but at the end of the day we have to score goals, and that’s what he does, and that’s what he did tonight. It was quite a performance amazing.

There is plenty of reason to believe that Kreider, like many of his teammates, is dealing with a flu-like illness that has plagued the team. No Ranger would recognize him. I’ve heard enough to believe it’s true. I also know well enough that this will never be an excuse to lose the series after taking a 3-0 lead.

Kreider went to the net to recover a puck left at the right post by an exposed Freddie Andersen to make it a one-goal game at 6:43. He brought the Rangers into a 3-3 tie with a spectacular power play deflection off Artemi Panarin’s shoulder from the top at 11:54.

And he got the winning goal up front by converting a centering pass from Ryan Lindgren after a neat cycle exchange with Jack Roslovic at 15:41. Barclay Goodrow sealed it with an empty net.

“He took control of the game,” Jacob Trouba said of Kreider. “A lot of guys here call him ‘the Horse,’ and that’s what he is, and he took off around that time and took over.”

There are many things that go into leadership. Standing between periods of a difficult potential opponent is one way. Scoring a hat trick in the third period of this game is another way. But there is more than that.

I said Kreider was here when the letter was released and the Rangers reset as the 2018 trade deadline approached. Technically, that’s true. But Kreider was not on the active roster. In fact, he was recovering from rib resection surgery needed to resolve multiple blood clots discovered around Christmas.

The Rangers had emerged shortly after the deadline purge and were operating as a skeleton team. There was no reason for Kreider to rush back.

Kreider rushed back and played the final 21 games of that lost season.

People may not have noticed it. Everyone noticed Kreider Thursday night.

Did. You. See. Chris!