The New York Rangers lead their best of seven series with the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 after a 3-2 loss in Game 3. However, despite the loss, the power play for the Rangers continues to click. There are no signs of it slowing down either. A big reason for the power-play success of the Rangers in the playoffs has been the play of Mika Zibanejad. His presence on the power play gives the Rangers many different looks. If the Rangers continue on in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, their power play will need to remain red-hot.
Mika Zibanejad Power Play Prowess
Through five games of their first-round series with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Mika Zibanejad was having a quiet playoff for his standards. He had just four points, all assists in those five games. However, Zibanejad had been known to thrive under the bright lights of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. In his brief time with the Rangers, he had been to the playoffs twice, leading them in points in 2017, and tied for the lead during the 2020 bubble. So the fans were expecting more from him.
That all changed in Game 6 against Pittsburgh. During that game, not only did Zibanejad get going, but so did the Rangers power play. The power play for the Rangers was a staple all season and guided them to second in the Metro Division. Chris Kreider led the way with 26 power-play goals. And while the Rangers needed more from Kreider as well, Game 6 was about Zibanejad finding the back of the net and racking up the points. In the Rangers Game 6 victory over the Penguins, Zibanjead recorded four points (two goals and two assists). Zibanejad had two points on the power play.
From there Zibanejad and the Rangers started to roll. Zibanejad leads the team in points during the playoffs with 24 points (10 goals and 14 assists). 10 of 24 points have come on the power play. He leads all players in the playoffs with six power-play goals. And the Lightning is having a hard time stopping his one-timer from the circle. Not only does Zibanejad have an effective shot, but he can make passes into the slot from the half wall. This has allowed Kreider to be so effective in front of the opposition’s net.
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Rangers Power Play Tops In the NHL
The Rangers power play has been so effective, that New York leads the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 31.4 percent conversion rate on the power play. New York was able to break down the Carolina Hurricanes penalty kill in round two. During the series with Carolina, the Rangers scored seven power-play goals. That success has carried into the Eastern Conference Final against the Lightning.
Through three games the Rangers have scored three power-play goals including two in their Game 3 loss. What makes it so good is the fact, that the Rangers led by Zibanejad use the East/West pass to their advantage. As seen in this goal.
The Rangers moved the puck so quickly, that the Lightning have no time to set up. And look how quick that puck is off Zibanejad’s stick and passed Andrei Vasilevskiy. This is a similar goal to the goal Zibanejad scored in Game 1.
The Rangers were moving the puck so quickly, that the Lightning could not get the puck out of their zone. This allowed lanes to open up and the Lightning penalty killers were unable to react as they were pinned in their zone for most of the power play.
At one point the Rangers had scored on the power play in six straight games. During that span, the Rangers scored eight goals in 18 power-play tries. Even in their regular-season matchup with the Lightning, the Rangers scored three goals in the three games the teams played. The Rangers know the Lightning will make adjustments. Which they have, but the Rangers are still converting at a high rate.
Moving Forward
With the teams each scoring two power-play markers in Game 3, special teams will definitely play a factor in the outcome of Game 4. The Rangers are looking to carry the success they had in Game 3 into Game 4 as they look to take a commanding 3-1 in the series.
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