Hagelin playing great, but needs help

Few Rangers played well in Wednesday night's 3-2 overtime loss to the Kings, but Carl Hagelin was one exception.

The Swedish winger was by far the fastest player on the ice and the most explosive for the Blueshirts. It seemed as if he made something happen every time he leaped over the boards, taking the Kings defensemen by storm.

With 4:57 remaining in the first period and the Rangers down a man, Hagelin took a chip pass from Brian Boyle and flew up the center of the ice, blowing past Kings defenseman Slava Voynov. His initial backhand shot was saved by goalie Jonathan Quick, but the rebound deflected off Voynov's skate and into the net for Hagelin's league-leading second short-handed goal and team-leading seventh goal of the postseason.

After a brutal third period in which the Rangers recorded just two shots on goal in the first 19-plus minutes, Hagelin again shot right through the center of the ice, this time on a breakaway. For a split second, with the 25-year-old streaking toward the net, it looked like he was going to be the savior who would stun everyone and steal the game for the Blueshirts. This time, however, Quick was up to the task, stoning Hagelin with his glove.

As great as Hagelin was on Wednesday night, he needs help. The Rangers' highly-paid scorers went missing, just as they have done frequently this postseason. Rick Nash, a former 40-goal scorer with the Columbus Blue Jackets, now has just two goals in his last 22 games dating back to the regular season.

If the Rangers want to win their first Stanley Cup since '94, they need their other scorers to come through against the high-powered Kings.