Kreider's emergence a huge boost to teammates
Chris Kreider of the New York Rangers celebrates his third period goal with teammates in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Washington Capitals. (April 28, 2012) Credit: Getty Images
GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- Chris Kreider's arrival and subsequent impact on the Rangers' postseason has been a huge boost to his new team and a few of his new teammates, most notably Derek Stepan.
Stepan, who was pointless and a minus-5 in his first nine postseason games -- five last year and the first four of the Senators series this year -- turned it on in Game 5 against Ottawa.
In Game 6, when John Tortorella put the Kreider-Stepan-Ryan Callahan line together, things started to click for the two young guys. Kreider scored the eventual winner off a feed from Stepan, the same connection that gave the Rangers another winner in Saturday's 3-1 victory over the Capitals in Game 1 of the second round.
"It's weird -- you can never really explain how these things work, but we seem to be matched well together," said Stepan, who has a goal and four assists in his last four games. "Cally's a big asset too, obviously. He has that veteran presence since he's, what, 26?"
Kreider turns 21 Monday, joining Stepan and Michael Del Zotto as the just-legal brigade of this Rangers team that plays such a tight style, it would seem to be populated with savvy veterans more than eager kids. Those three, plus 23-year-old rookie Carl Hagelin, were on the Rangers' second power-play unit on Saturday afternoon, and Tortorella seems to have few qualms about using his younger players in any and all situations.
"Whoever's playing well at that particular time gets the opportunity," Tortorella said after the team's optional practice at the MSG Training Center Sunday.
In answering numerous questions about Kreider's incredible emergence this past week -- he went from getting 3:26 of ice time in Game 4 against Ottawa to 18:21 in Game 7 and 15:28 in Game 1 against the Caps -- Tortorella reiterated his feeling that in the postseason, ice time is not about status.
"How you play dictates how much you play," Tortorella said.
It's why Kreider played more than Marian Gaborik (18:12) in the deciding Game 7 against the Senators, and why Stepan dropped down to center the fourth line in Games 3 and 4 in Ottawa last week before his resurgence.
"It's pretty cool," Stepan said of his meshing well with Kreider. "I've said we have a good mix of young guys and veterans, and we're all doing our part."
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