The New York Rangers secured the win, averting a potentially embarrassing loss against one of the worst teams in today’s NHL, the San Jose Sharks. In this matchup, three players stood out for the Blueshirts as they secured the 6–5 victory.
Mika Zibanejad is out of his slump
Remember that slump Mika Zibanejad endured in the month of November? Well, it’s absolutely a thing of the past after witnessing back-to-back strong performances, including tonight’s game. Zibanejad contributed two points overall – an assist and a goal scored during the first period.
His assist on Panarin’s first goal helped the Rangers get back on track, tying the score at 1-1. Let’s hope Zibanejad maintains this form and continues contributing to the team in the games ahead.
Jonny Brodzinski making the most of his Rangers call-up
There have been a lot of fans who have complained about the Rangers’ decision to call up Jonny Brodzinski over Brennan Othmann from the AHL Hartford Wolf Pack. Well, games like tonight demonstrate why they made that decision as he made two key assists in this game.
The first assist was on Mika Zibanejad’s goal in the first period and his second assist was in the third period on Panarin’s third goal. Brodzinski has been excellent since being called up and is making the case that he should stay in the majors permanently.
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Artemi Panarin nets a hat trick
It’s safe to say that whenever a player achieves a hat trick in a hockey game, it automatically places them as a top standout. Artemi Panarin was unstoppable in this game on offense. He scored two goals in the first period and another in the third period. To further solidify his standout performance, he even assisted on the Will Cuylle goal. Panarin has been a force for the Rangers this season.
