First Period:
- Chris Kreider (9) Assists: Mika Zibanejad (13), Frank Vatrano (6)
- Steven Stamkos (5) Assists: Jan Rutta (1), Anthony Cirelli (2)
Second Period:
- Frank Vatrano (4) Assists: Adam Fox (14)
- Ondrej Palat (5) Assists: Mikhail Sergachev (5), Steven Stamkos (5)
- Filip Chytil (6) Assists: Kaapo Kakko (3), Alexis Lafreniere (6)
- Filip Chytil (7) Assists: Alexis Lafreniere (7), K’Andre Miller (5)
Third Period:
- Artemi Panarin (5) Assists: Andrew Copp (7), Jacob Trouba (4)
- Mika Zibanejad (8) (Power Play) Assists: Adam Fox (15), Artemi Panarin (8)
Stats:
Adam Rotter:
- That was a pretty emphatic statement by the Rangers. I thought that Tampa may have had the edge in the first period, and it was certainly disconcerting that they kept tying it quickly after the first two goals, but the last 30 minutes, starting with the Filip Chytil goals, was just domination by the Rangers.
- The first half of the game was pretty even, chances both ways, some big saves but once the Kid line got going and Kaapo Kakko found Filip Chytil the Rangers went up to a level that Tampa couldn’t match. They were faster, forced turnovers and kept finding the back of the net.
- Everyone in the top-nine was big tonight. The top line all scored, Frank Vatrano made that excellent defensive play right before his goal, Chris Kreider got things started early and Mika Zibanejad capped it with one of his signature PP goals. That line was great all night. Artemi Panarin had a nice game and the Kid Line was just excellent. All three players were making plays, Kaapo Kakko was strong on the wall and had that deft little pass to Chytil, Alexis Lafreniere just continues to be big in the playoffs and picked up two assists and then, of course, there is Filip Chytil.
- Gerard Gallant said earlier in the year that he wanted Chytil to watch Mika Zibanejad and Zibanejad’s game and career went to another level when he started shooting. Chytil has always been more of a shooter than a playmaker and that is why many think he might ultimately be best suited to be on the wing, but wherever he plays, if he shoots the puck he’s going to make a difference. That line has been driving the Rangers all playoffs, when they’ve been together, and they did it again tonight.
- Igor Shesterkin was very good and certainly won the goalie battle tonight. Tampa is going to keep going to the net and so the Rangers need to make sure they take care of rebounds and clear players out so we don’t get another near heart attack with Shesterkin looking dead and face down on the ice after Steven Stamkos made contact. I thought that the concussion spotter might pull him based upon his reaction to the contact, but it didn’t really look like that big of a deal. He stayed in, was good and picked up the win.
- You leave this game with a lot of different thoughts. On the one hand, the Rangers certainly showed that they can not only hang with, but beat Tampa, that they are deeper offensively and good enough defensively, especially with Shesterkin, to withstand the Tampa attack. There is also the feeling that Tampa needed tonight to get their legs, that they will be a lot sharper as the series goes on and that, with Andrei Vasilevskiy’s history, that they may not score six goals total the rest of the series. You split those thoughts down the middle and it leaves you with another long, tough series.
- This is the first time in the playoffs that the Rangers are playing with a series lead. It seems strange to say that since it’s the third round, but the Rangers have been playing catch up all playoffs long. Tampa swept Florida last round, but they were down all series against the Leafs before winning. Tampa also doesn’t lose back-to-back games in the playoffs so we’ll see what Game 2 brings on Friday.