Ranking the Rangers' Top Five Goals Scored in the Playoffs
The New York Rangers season is over so it is a good time to reflect on their playoff run by looking at some of their top goals throughout the postseason. The team scored 47 goals in 16 games, 2.94 GPG, and some were absolute beauties. Below is my ranking of the top five goals the team scored.
Note: Factors such as the situation of the game/series and the impact of the goal influence the rankings.
5. Matt Rempe Game 1 vs the Washington Capitals
This goal may not be the flashiest one on the list, but it was still a great tic-tac-toe setup from Jimmy Vesey and Barclay Goodrow. What makes the goal better is when you look at all the factors involved such as Rempe being the goalscorer, it was the team’s first goal of the playoffs, announcer Sean McDonough talking about the energy Rempe brings five seconds before scoring, and of course, Madison Square Garden being sent into a frenzy after the goal.
4. Chris Kreider Game 6 vs the Carolina Hurricanes (Third goal of the game)
The Rangers had lost two straight games to the Canes and they looked like they were about to drop another one as they trailed 3-1 heading into the final period. It wasn't until Christoper James Kreider took over the game with a natural hat trick in less than 10 minutes.
The goal itself is a basic one, but it changed the course of the entire game and propelled the Rangers to the ECF when there seemed to be no hope of a Game 6 victory.
3. Artemi Panarin Game 3 vs the Carolina Hurricanes
Incredible hand-eye coordination from the Breadman to win it in overtime and put the team up 3-0 in the series. To be able to tip the puck between the legs to the far side of the goal as he is skating the opposite way is a piece of art. Also, don’t let the 10/10 leg kick celly go unnoticed.
2. Mika Zibanejad Game 1 vs the Carolina Hurricanes (Second goal of the game)
Ah yes, Game 1 of the second round. When the Rangers' power play was at its peak in the playoffs. Good times.
Just an incredible team play to score eight seconds into the man advantage. Everybody touched the puck and there were two beautiful spinning backhand passes, one from Trocheck and one from Kreider, before Mika blasted the puck into the back of the net. If a team is looking at how to execute spacing, passing, and finishing on the power play, this is the clip to show.
1. Alexis Lafrenière Game 3 vs the Florida Panthers (Second goal of the game)
The youngster went coast-to-coast and dangled through three Florida defenders before diving past the crease while shoveling a backhander past Sergei Bobrovsky. Absolute poetry. In a series where some of the Rangers’ stars were absent, Lafrenière showed up countless times with jaw-dropping goals like this.
Honorable Mentions
Vincent Trocheck’s double overtime power play goal vs the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 2
Chris Kreider’s shorthanded breakaway goal vs the Florida Panthers in Game 5
Alexis Lafrenière’s breakaway backhand goal vs the Florida Panthers in Game 3 (First goal of the game)