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Mika Zibanejad’s Five On Five Scoring Will Soon Explode

By Lucas Standel

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 26: Mika Zibanejad #93 of the New York Rangers takes a water break during warm-ups prior to the game against the New York Islanders at Madison Square Garden on September 26, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 26: Mika Zibanejad #93 of the New York Rangers takes a water break during warm-ups prior to the game against the New York Islanders at Madison Square Garden on September 26, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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Mika Zibanejad has started the season hot. He has scored seven goals and eight assists for fifteen points in thirteen games. His seven goals lead the team so far, however, there is an interesting stat about his goal scoring. He has scored six power-play goals and one short-handed goal. This means that Zibanejad has yet to score a goal at even strength.

While this is an interesting stat for the Swede, it is only a matter of time until he breaks out the scoring as Ranger fans know he can. Zibanejad is tied for first place in the league for power-play goals with six. He is tied with Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers. He has been lethal from the left circle, using his one-timer to blast the puck past the goalie. The hope is he can turn his power-play success into even-strength goal-scoring.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 26: Mika Zibanejad #93 of the New York Rangers takes a water break during warm-ups prior to the game against the New York Islanders at Madison Square Garden on September 26, 2022, in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 26: Mika Zibanejad #93 of the New York Rangers takes a water break during warm-ups prior to the game against the New York Islanders at Madison Square Garden on September 26, 2022, in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

Zibanejad has had plenty of opportunities to score this season, but like most of the team, he has not been able to cash in. Both Zibanejad and Chris Kreider are top ten in goals expected per sixty minutes but have not been able to cash in on many of their chances. For both of these players, it is only a matter of time before they start putting the puck in the back of the net.

For Zibanejad, he will have a new linemate when the Rangers play the Islanders on November 8th at Madison Square Garden. Head coach Gerard Gallant has moved up Artemi Panarin to the line with Zibanejad and Kaapo Kakko. This is due to the lack of team scoring and the coach feels a shakeup was needed. This change may give Zibanejad the spark he needs.

As the season goes on, you can look for Mika to up his goal-scoring at even strength as he hopes to reach the levels he did back when he scored forty-one goals during the 2019-2020 season that ended early due to COVID.

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