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NYR: Mika Zibanejad’s five goal game leads Rangers to victory

By Derek McAdam

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 05: Brendan Lemieux #48 and Adam Fox #23 of the New York Rangers celebrate a goal by Mika Zibanejad #93 against the Washington Capitals at Madison Square Garden on March 05, 2020 in New York City. The Rangers defeated the Capitals 5-4 in overtime. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 05: Brendan Lemieux #48 and Adam Fox #23 of the New York Rangers celebrate a goal by Mika Zibanejad #93 against the Washington Capitals at Madison Square Garden on March 05, 2020 in New York City. The Rangers defeated the Capitals 5-4 in overtime. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 05: Mika Zibanejad #93 of the New York Rangers celebrates his hattrick goal at 12 seconds of the third period against the Washington Capitals at Madison Square Garden on March 05, 2020 in New York City. The Rangers defeated the Capitals 5-4 in overtime. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 05: Mika Zibanejad #93 of the New York Rangers celebrates his hattrick goal at 12 seconds of the third period against the Washington Capitals at Madison Square Garden on March 05, 2020 in New York City. The Rangers defeated the Capitals 5-4 in overtime. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

The game

The Rangers got off to a rough start, giving the Capitals the first power play just over a minute and a half into the game from a Pavel Buchnevich holding penalty. Alexander Georgiev was tested with four shots on the penalty kill but managed to keep the puck out of the net.

Washington had the first big scoring opportunity on a Richard Panik breakaway, but could not capitalize. The first goal of the game came from former Ranger Carl Hagelin 7:05 into the game, giving him his eighth goal of the season.

The Rangers got their first power play opportunity with 12:28 left in the period, and Mika Zibanejad tied it off a deflection from an Artemi Panarin slapshot.

New York got their second power play with 9:10 remaining in the period but did not take advantage.

The Rangers kept the pressure on Ilya Samsonov over the span of the final three minutes, but he remained strong in net to keep the game tied at 1-1 going into the first intermission.

The second period began with several scoring chances at both ends of the ice. Julien Gauthier set up Brendan Lemieux for a scoring opportunity but could not put it on net.

On a delayed penalty, Zibanejad scored on a slapshot from the left circle to give the Rangers a 2-1 lead, his second goal of the night.

Just a few seconds later, the Rangers got another power play opportunity on a Lars Eller tripping penalty but could not score.

After the conclusion of the Rangers power play, they found themselves on the penalty kill after a Lemieux tripping penalty. Georgiev was challenged but maintained his ground in net, keeping the Rangers in front.

With 7:59 remaining in the period Ilya Kovalchuk fired a shot past Georgiev, his first as a Capital. Just under three minutes later, Tony DeAngelo gave the Rangers the lead again off a cross-ice pass from Panarin.

The crowd had barely settled into their seats when just 14 seconds later, Garnet Hathaway tied the game at 3-3 off a Rangers neutral zone turnover. Richard Panik broke into the Rangers zone and fed Michal Kempny whose shot was deflected by Hathaway.

With just under four minutes remaining, Panarin tried to set up Jesper Fast for an open-net goal after Samsonov was caught behind the goal but could not connect on the pass.

Buchnevich tried to take the lead in the final minute of the period, but Samsonov made a fantastic save to keep the game tied heading into the second intermission.

Twelve seconds into the third, Zibanejad netted his third goal to give him a hat trick and the Rangers a 4-3 lead. He took a great pass from Buchnevich and tucked it past Samsonov.

Throughout the third, the Rangers continued to apply crucial pressure on the Capitals, keeping their quality scoring chances low.

Brett Howden and Jonas Siegenthaler were both penalized, creating four on four hockey for two minutes. In the final seconds of the four on four, Alex Ovechkin fired a shot past Georgiev, tying the game at four.  It was three straight blown leads for the Rangers, not a recipe for success.

With 7:08 remaining in the game, Eller was called for his second penalty of the night for a hit on Brendan Smith. The Rangers did all they could to take another lead with several chances, including a Buchnevich shot that rang the post.

Just after the conclusion of the first power play, John Carlson took an undisciplined penalty, cross checking Brendan Lemiueux.  It gave the Rangers another power play, but again the Blueshirts wer not able to take advantage. In fact, this was not as exciting as the previous power play, but the Rangers still had several chances to take a lead.

If it could not be any more beneficial for the Rangers, they received a third consecutive power play with three seconds remaining on the Carlson penalty.  It was Lars Eller again who carelessly high sticked Jacob Trouba as he crossed the blueline.  With 1:42 left in the game, Kaapo Kakko took a slapshot that Samsonov got a piece of, but the rebound kicked off the end boards right to  Zibanejad who put the rebound in the net for his fourth goal of the game, giving the Rangers a 5-4 lead.

With 42.9 seconds remaining and the goalie pulled, Ovechkin tied the game at 5-5 from a rebound off Georgiev sending the game to overtime.

The Rangers won the opening faceoff to begin overtime, taking it straight into the Capitals’ zone. Less than a minute into overtime, Panarin sniped a pass to Zibanejad who backhanded it in for his fifth goal of the night.

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