If the Rangers are to win Game 6, Artemi Panarin will need to wake up and put his imprint on this series.
The New York Rangers need Artemi Panarin to answer the bell in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final.
The Florida Panthers took a 3-2 series lead on Thursday night with a chance to eliminate the Rangers on Saturday.
Through the first five games of the series, Panarin is yet to score a goal, which has been costly for New York.
In the regular season, Panarin had 49 goals, 71 assists and 120 points while helping propel the Rangers to the NHL’s top record.
It’s no secret that Panarin is the Rangers’ best player maybe outside of goaltender Igor Shesterkin, so it makes his sudden disappearance in this series all the more surprising.
The 32-year-old has tried to juke his way past defenders, something that came easy for him prior to this series, but Florida’s defense has been so suffocating that he’s struggled to maneuver his way past them the way he’s so accustomed to doing.
Panarin needs to make a statement in Game 6 and show to the world that he is the best player on the ice.
The Rangers will really only go as far as their superstar takes them and their lackluster offensive play has been directly indicative to the way Panarin is performing.
It’s not just about scoring goals. Panarin must use his speed and shifty puck handling skills to dictate the pace of play since he is very capable of doing so.
Panarin has already proven how dominant he can be in the regular season, but this is his time to prove it on the biggest stage with all eyes on him.
We will have to see if he is up for the challenge.