TARRYTOWN — The Rangers have played a combined 287 games between the regular season and playoffs since the trade their fans don’t like to talk about — you know, the one that sent Pavel Buchnevich to the St. Louis Blues — and they’re looking for always his replacement.
It took nearly three years to find the elusive right-wing treasure, with many attempts but very few successes.
“Sometimes there were individuals who took the plunge and played well,” head coach Peter Laviolette said Wednesday. “If it’s not going exactly the way we want it to and you see someone else come into the lineup, you make a change. You make a change. There were times where I thought (Jack Roslovic) was really good there (Tuesday), I saw Kaapo (Kakko) make an impact on the game and made a change there Fil (Chytil) came back to the top six. first time on this line, I thought it was a good spark, so for me it’s just about finding the right person and the right combination to make this line one that we see more of in the. offensive zone. More production, more zone time, more attempts, more chances do it, we will make the change.
Three different forwards have taken turns at the front row alongside Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad during these playoffs, with Kakko becoming the latest in the second half of Tuesday’s 3-2 overtime loss to the Panthers of Florida in the fourth game of the East. Conference final.
This came two games after the 23-year-old was caught healthy, adding to the rollercoaster feel of the situation.
“I brought him forward because it seemed like he was making things happen,” Laviolette said. “He was physical. He was very engaged in the fights and just an outstanding player. In a game where we needed more – we needed more puck possession, we needed more physicality – I thought that he brought a little of that. So, I “I made this change. And overall, my conversations with him have been about that impact on the game, which is what I saw last game and would like to see consistently. “
Blake Wheeler:Veteran forward gives his take on the end of Game 4
Despite Laviolette’s positive assessment, the trio didn’t receive many shakes after the move. They were outscored, 11-4, and outscored, 7-1, in 5:48 on the ice with Roslovic on Tuesday, according to Natural Stat Trick, followed by 8-1 and 3-1 disadvantages in those categories. in 5h55 with Kakko.
Thursday’s morning practice before Game 5 at 8 p.m. at Madison Square Garden had the revolving door spinning. Chytil was back with Kreider and Zibanejad after being scratched for Game 4, as the Rangers try to manage his workload after missing more than six months.
“I haven’t made a decision,” Chytil said when asked how the scratch came about. “It’s not my job, but of course I haven’t played that long. I wouldn’t help the team at all if I went in there and wasn’t ready or had no energy or something like that the game counts in the playoffs, and we have to win every game.”
The 24-year-old played 1RW in Games 2 and 3 and, just like the others, produced inconsistent results.
Shot attempts were 39-18 in favor of Florida with Kreider, Zibanejad and Chytil on the ice, while shots on goal were 14-5. They failed to score a goal while allowing one in six high-danger scoring chances, with no HDCF to speak of.
That’s not exactly a ringing endorsement.
“I of course try to bring some energy to it as well,” Chytil said. “I talk to them a lot during matches, in training, and they are great. They helped me too and it was a pleasure for me to play with them.”
The lack of consistency at 1RW has been an obvious problem, but it’s unfair to expect any of the players who have tried there – especially one who has only played four games in nearly seven months – resolves all front-line issues. . It’s ultimately up to Kreider and Zibanejad to figure it out.
They’re the ones the Rangers have relied on for years to be key offensive producers – but that wasn’t the case in the four games against the Panthers, in which neither recorded a point.
“We have to do a better job of moving up the ice and establishing a presence in the O-zone,” Kreider said after Game 4. “A lot of it falls on me. I have to be able to get in there and win pucks – put my body on the pucks, move my feet and allow us to get on the ice and start rolling and then cut back and playing at the net.
Kreider went from the height of his game-clinching hat trick in the second round against the Carolina Hurricanes to a pit of frustration. He failed to record a shot on goal Tuesday, with just five total in four ECF games. And while he admirably placed the blame on his shoulders, there is no doubt that Zibanejad shares it.
No. 93 has also turned ice cold in this series, and it’s not just when he faces two-time Selke Trophy winner Aleksander Barkov. The Rangers have been outshot 16-8 when these top centers face off, but it’s been even more lopsided against the Panthers’ second line of Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Bennett and Evan Rodrigues. Shots on goal are 17-3 in favor of Florida when Zibanejad faces Bennett, while attempts are 41-6. Florida’s top defensive pairing of Aaron Ekblad and Gustav Forsling also stifled them, to the tune of 26-7 SOG and 66-22 attempts.
That drop in scoring carried over into Zibanejad’s decision-making, as his ill-advised pass and resulting giveaway in the first minute of overtime proved to be the most costly play of Game 4.
“I can’t change that now,” he said of the turnover that forced Blake Wheeler to take a hooking penalty and set up Florida’s winning power-play goal. “If it comes into play, it’s a good play. It’s not the case this time. It’s sport. Just come back and try to make better decisions next time and hopefully that will go my way.”
Asked if he would consider parting ways with the longtime Kreider-Zibanejad duo, Laviolette said, “I’m going to leave any questions about the roster aside.” But it should come as no surprise that he keeps them together for Game 5, especially after holding on despite some extended droughts this season.
There seems to be no going back now.
Zibanejad is coming off his least productive scoring season since his first in New York in 2016-17, but those criticisms will be easily forgotten if he can hit the ground running at this critical juncture. The Rangers are banking on this, otherwise this magical run could go wrong.
“We have to play better,” Laviolette said. “We had to get out of our territory better. We had to get through the neutral zone and get into the offensive zone better. With the naked eye, everyone saw the same thing. It’s not a hockey genius here.”
New York Rangers (10-4) Projected Lineup: Game 5, Eastern Conference Finals, vs. Florida Panthers (10-5)
When: Thursday May 30 at 8 p.m.
Or: Madison Square Garden
Television/Radio: ESPN/98.7FM
Attackers
Top line ⊳ Chris Kreider (LW) ⋄ Mika Zibanejad (C) ⋄ Filip Chytil (RW)
Second line ⊳ Artemi Panarin (LW) ⋄ Vincent Trocheck (C) ⋄ Alexis Lafrenière (RW)
Third line ⊳ Jack Roslovic (LW) ⋄ Alex Wennberg (C) ⋄ Kaapo Kakko (RW)
Fourth line ⊳ Will Cuylle (LW) ⋄ Barclay Goodrow (C) ⋄ Matt Rempe (RW)
Defenders
Top pair ⊳ Ryan Lindgren (left) ⋄ Adam Fox (right)
Second pair ⊳ K’André Miller (left) ⋄ Braden Schneider (right)
Third pair ⊳ Erik Gustafsson (left) ⋄ Jacob Trouba (right)
Goalkeepers
Entrance ⊳ Igor Shesterkin
Backup ⊳ Jonathan Rapide
Hurt: F Jimmy Vesey (upper body)
Healthy stripes: F Jonny Brodzinski, G Louis Domingue, F Adam Edström, Dr Zac Jones, Dr Chad Ruhwedel and F Blake Wheeler
Vincent Z. Mercogliano is the New York Rangers reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Learn more about his work at lohud.com/sports/rangers/ and follow him on Twitter @vzmercogliano.