Mika May
As much as has been made about the top-six struggling in this series, Mika Zibanejad has been consistently good throughout the postseason and his exploits have perhaps gone unnoticed due to the struggles around him.
After coming up big in the final few games of the Round One match-up against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Zibanejad has tried his best to carry this team on his back this series and he delivered another big moment on Saturday.
Minutes after Tyler Motte had got the Blueshirts on the board, the top power play unit was called upon to get to work and they did what they do best with Zibanejad carrying the puck over the blue line, beating two Hurricanes players, faking a shot and then slipping the puck past Antti Raanta.
It was a beautiful goal but also a crucial one given how quickly it came after Motte’s goal, and it was clear that the goal broke the spirits of the Canes who were never able to really recover.
Zibanejad now has 16 points (seven goals, nine assists) through 13 postseason games, including seven points (four goals, three assists) on the power play, and he has been one big-hitter that has been able to be consistently relied upon.
That will have to be the case in Game Seven if the Rangers are to continue this wild postseason ride.