When Mats Zuccarello went down with a concussion –side bar: It is not a fractured skull. That was a baseless rumor started by a faceless Twitter rumor account that just wanted attention. Rule of thumb, if the rumor comes from an account with no face, it’s not a rumor– we knew someone on the Rangers would have to step up. Zuccarello is an integral part of the offense, and not easily replaced.
Chris Kreider, who had a relatively quiet series against the Penguins, has stepped up to the plate. He has four goals this series, three of which have come in the last two games with the Rangers facing elimination. It’s not like he’s just getting garbage goals either. He’s scoring at key times that give the Rangers an extra boost.
His offensive outburst started in Game Two, when his early goal set the mood for a Rangers win to even the series.
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While this goal was one of the few the Rangers have scored this series, it really set the formula for success against the Caps. Drive to the net, get to the rebounds.
Now, with the Rangers on the brink, Kreider has scored three times. One to tie Game Five late in the third (no GIF of that, sorry). Ryan McDonagh won Game Five for the Rangers in overtime. Kreider scored twice last night, first in the opening minute of the first, and then again in the closing second of the first:
While the goals are certainly critical aspects of his recent surge, Kreider has been a force all over the ice. He’s laid big hits on the Caps players throughout the series, totaling 27 hits thus far. He had some highlight worthy hits too, including hits on Alex Ovechkin:
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Matt Niskanen:
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and Jason Chimera:
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While we can use these highlights to showcase some of what Kreider has done, it really only scratches the surface. Kreider has entered beast mode in this series, as his rare combination of size and speed have made him an absolute force. The Caps have had significant troubles trying to contain him.
Beyond the highlights, Kreider has been driving puck possession throughout the entire series. It’s not just the big plays and the big hits, it’s the little things as well. The Rangers needed to fill a hole, and Kreider has done just that.
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