Rangers plays vital game against the Kings at the Garden

The Rangers played a vital game against the Kings at the Garden. For a long time, non-playing Blueshirt players garnered more attention than those who were skating against the Kings.

However, Mika Zibanejad reminded everyone of his vital importance to the team when he helped his team achieve a 5-2 victory against the Kings.

Zibanejad was helped off the ice with 2:11 remaining in the second period after blocking a blue-line drive from Drew Doughty.

However, he returned to the ice for the third period, scoring a power-play one-timer to complete the scoring.

The Rangers entered the game with 18 skaters but kept Braden Schneider and Ryan Carpenter on the bench to ensure that neither would be injured. K’Andre Miller picked up a match penalty for spitting at Doughty, leaving Gallant with only four defensemen.

Despite this, the Rangers responded with a methodical and buttoned-down effort, playing straight-line hockey and avoiding turnovers.

They killed the five-minute match penalty to Miller, while holding only a 1-0 lead. Carpenter managed to avoid injury in the 13 seconds it took him to get from the penalty box to the bench after serving Miller’s time.

Zibanejad hopped on the ice 33 seconds into the third period to a loud ovation followed by chants of “Mika … Mika … Mika!”

He leads the club with 31 goals and has been his team’s best player, providing an extra boost to the Rangers. When Zibanejad is in the lineup, the Blueshirts are not playing short.