Don’t mess with The Kid Line
Head Coach Gerard Gallant is paid to make the big decisions and he’s paid to come up with ways to spark his team and get the best out of them.
To Gallant’s credit, he’s tried his best in that department this series having tweaked his line combinations for the big wins in Games Three and Four, proving that he’s not afraid to break certain players up if that’s what is best for the team.
However, if there’s one line that Gallant shouldn’t touch tonight, it is The Kid Line that has come into its own during these playoffs.
Centered by Filip Chytil and with Alexis Lafreniere and Kaapo Kakko on either wing, The Kid Line has without doubt been the Rangers’ best and most consistent line all postseason, getting better with each game.
That line was broken up for a chunk of time in Games Three, Four and Five but, as they’ve proven all so emphatically, Chytil, Lafreniere and Kakko are better together and they must remain together at all times and at all costs in Game Six.
There is no denying that The Kid Line is the heartbeat of this team now, the line that provides the jolt of energy and the spark that only leads to good things.
While the underlying metrics are positive when the trio is on the ice together, including a 48.75 xGF (expected goals for percentage), the eye test tells the whole story with the way they attack the offensive zone and torment their opponents incredibly encouraging.
Lafreniere has really come of age this postseason with five points (two goals, three assists), six blocked shots and 32 hits, which ranks fourth on the Rangers behind Jacob Trouba, Chris Kreider and Ryan Reaves.
Chytil and Kakko, meanwhile, have had their big coming-of-age moments this postseason, too, and you wouldn’t bet against the trio having another night to remember either.
They hustle, they attack, they play with no fear and Game Six is the perfect stage for Chytil, Lafreniere and Kakko to continue to prove why they are the very future of this franchise.
If the Rangers are to live to fight another day yet again, then putting their trust in The Kid Line to provide the energy they will so badly need in Game Six may be the best path to head down.