The New York Rangers, who are in first place in the Eastern Conference with 49 points, will visit the Florida Panthers in Sunrise, Florida on Friday night. Defenseman K’Andre Miller is finding his stride.
Miller, who was selected first overall by New York in 2018, recently recorded his highest-scoring game of the season on Wednesday against the Washington Capitals, accumulating two goals and three points in a 5-1 victory.
Miller has accomplished their objective. However, the complete squad is performing admirably, including goaltender Igor Shesterkin, who has maintained a four-game winning streak. Earlier this season, Shesterkin (14-7-0, 2.77 goals-against average) recorded a five-game winning streak. Jonathan Quick, in relief duty (9-1-1, 2.27 GAA), has performed even better.
Artemi Panarin was ranked fourth on the NHL’s offensive standings with 46 points and sixth with 19 goals as of Thursday. He also has 15 multi-point performances, which is third-best in the NHL.
With 17 goals, Chris Kreider is tied for eleventh place in the league. Eight power-play goals scored by Kreider are one less than the NHL lead.
Indeed, since 2009, the Rangers have tallied a power-play goal in each of their last eight games. In the NHL, they are ranked second with 33 power-play goals.
Former Panthers forward Vincent Trocheck, Adam Fox, and Mika Zibanejad are three additional Rangers talents to consider. After a 10-game absence due to injury, Fox has accumulated 23 points in 23 contests.
The NHL’s second-star performer of the week, Zibanejad accumulated seven points in three contests. He has recorded a minimum of one point in sixteen of his previous seventeen contests, eight of which include Friday. Trocheck has amassed 29 points and has performed admirably in faceoffs (63.3%).
Against Washington, the team exerted every effort in order to earn its fifth victory in the previous six contests. “It’s a cliche, but each night, regardless of who we’re portraying, we must perform to our identity. Miller stated, “We must establish the bar for ourselves,” as reported by the New York Post.
The Panthers, who have yet to encounter the Rangers this season, are coming off Wednesday’s 3-2 victory at division rival Tampa Bay.
Forward Sam Reinhart and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky are the captains of Florida. Bobrovsky leads the Eastern Conference in victories with 16-9-1 and 2.48 GAA. Anthony Stolarz is his competent backup (4-3-1, 2.18 GAA).
Reinhart has amassed 41 points and 21 goals to pace the Panthers. In addition, he shares the league lead with nine power-play scores and ranks fourth in the NHL in goals scored. Paul Maurice, coach of the Panthers, remarked that Reinhart does not merely score and that Reinhart is simply extraordinarily intelligent.
In its last five contests, Florida has avenged thirteen consecutive penalties, which presents an ideal matchup against the formidable power play of New York.
Following this season, Reinhart will become an unrestricted free agent. He stated that his team is not pressuring him to do anything. “We’re playing an easy game,” said Reinhart, who has scored four goals in his previous four contests. “Every member of our team is straightforward and predictable; we value simplicity and quickness.”