NO SHOW

BY MIKE RIFKIN

For the second time in three seasons the New York Rangers were eliminated by a team from Florida in the Eastern Conference Final. The Rangers lost game six 2-1 at the hands of the Florida Panthers, ending their season. The Rangers won the Presidents’ Trophy and set a franchise record with 114 points and wins with 55. 

The Rangers were a team all year that had contributions from everyone. That continued in the first two rounds of the playoffs, but in the Eastern Conference Final they got contributions from some unlikely sources like Barclay Goodrow, but didn’t get enough from their big guys. Artemi Panarin, Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad combined for 267 points during the regular season. All three had their moments in the playoffs, but were very unnoticeable against Florida. Kreider and Panarin each had a goal in game five and six respectively, unfortunately those were the only goals scored in each game. Give the Panthers credit for how they defended all three of these guys, and all three had big years on the power play, which dried up in this series. Zibanejad, hadn’t had a goal since game 2 against the Hurricanes, and in this series he was limited to an assist. But a rotation of players on the right side of him and Kreider could’ve been something that hampered them, but you need more. Kreider had a massive moment in the third period of game six against the Hurricanes where he had a Hat Trick to send the Rangers to the Conference Final. But in this series, like his linemate, Kreider didn’t have quality looks. Outside of his game five shorthanded goal, he and Zibanejad just didn’t create any offense. 

Panarin’s line with Vincent Trocheck and Alexis Lafreniere, was the Rangers’ most consistent line all season and in the playoffs. Panarin had five goals during this run, four of which were game winners. But Panarin wasn’t the gamebreaker the Rangers needed him to be this series.

In the biggest series your stars have to be your best players, and when the Rangers needed them these three guys weren’t there. It’s going to be a long offseason in the Big Apple, and for these three guys in particular.