Ten Thoughts about the Amazing Rangers
1. It had been generally accepted that Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad formed the foundation of the Rangers "First Line." (And they've continued to play well.)
2. But the Breadman Panarin-Vin Trocheck-Big Al Lafreniere unit has emerged as good as any line in the league. (Put it this way, they are the Rangers other Number One Line.)
3. The Canes came out hard and fast and anxious to create a physical edge in play. There were the expected skirmishes but no big-time brawls. (There was no room for nonsense in such a tight game.)P
4. Whether it's Fred Andersen or his backup, the Hurricanes simply cannot match Shesty's hermetically sealed goaltending. (That's the bottom line in this series.)
5. We're seeing more and more of the tough side of Jimmy Vesey. (Did you see him go after Dmitry Orlov?)
6. At this point in time it's impossible to pick a Rangers MVP. (My first inclination was to go with Vinnie Trocheck. But what about Breadman who's having a helluva playoff?)
7. Sorry, but Your Favorite Team does not win either of the last two games without Shesterkin's heroics. (No way. So, it's a three-way MVP tie at the moment.)
8. The biggest difference in this year's Lafreniere compared to last season is as follows: (A. He's going hard to the net more than ever; B. He's getting into position to score more than ever; C. He's never played as aggressive as he has this term.)
9. The secret to the Rangers' successful penalty-killers is their energy. (They'd just as soon score as keep the other guy's power play off the board.)
10. When I want a young player's view of the Rangers, I go to my grandson, Ariel Fischler, a forward with Crystal and Bruce Boudreau's Hershey (Junior) Cubs. "I liked Shesterkin's aggressiveness," says Ariel. "In Game Three he was actually pushing guys around. Also, the Canes did a lot of complaining, especially the coach. They were crybabies."