Chris Kreider lauds Mika Zibanejad's determination, skill after Rangers' Game 6 win
New York Rangers' Mika Zibanejad (93) and Tyler Motte (64) begin the celebrate the winning goal by Chris Kreider (not shown) during the third period in Game 6 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Pittsburgh, Friday, May 13, 2022. Credit: AP/Gene J. Puskar
PITTSBURGH — Chris Kreider probably is not in line for an iPad endorsement deal.
But the longest-serving Ranger showed his leadership skills in the second period of the Rangers’ season-saving 5-3 win over the Penguins in Friday night’s Game 6 by seemingly destroying some tech.
Shortly after coming out of the penalty box and having his breakaway backhander hit off the left post, Mika Zibanejad sat next to Kreider on the bench and tried to review the play on an iPad.
Kreider wouldn’t let him. Cameras caught Kreider grabbing the handheld computer from Zibanejad and slamming it to the ground behind them.
“He was looking at the breakaway and I heard him second- guessing his move,” Kreider said. “I didn’t really like that. He beat him clean to the post. No need to second-guess.”
Stretch pass
Igor Shesterkin became the first Rangers goalie with a playoff assist since Henrik Lundqvist on May 25, 2014 — and the fifth in NHL history — when his long outlet pass to Zibanejad set up Kreider’s power-play goal at 13:48 of the second period, giving the Rangers a 3-2 lead.
“Good pass,” Shesterkin said. “I saw a couple of players go to change. I think it’s not dangerous.”
Coach Gerard Gallant, asked if that type of play makes him nervous, replied, “Yeah. But he handles the puck so well, he can make those plays. You can’t take that away from him.”
The postgame media session was Shesterkin’s first since the announcements that he is a finalist for the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top goalie and the Hart Trophy as the league’s MVP.
“Right now, it doesn’t matter for me,” Shesterkin said. “The regular season is over.”
Motte returns
The Rangers acquired Tyler Motte from the Canucks for a fourth-round pick at the NHL trade deadline on March 21 to bolster their playoff readiness.
On Friday night, Motte finally was able to help, playing for the first time since suffering an upper-body injury against the Penguins on April 7.
He logged 9:32, including 2:11 of shorthanded time, as he was inserted on fourth-line center Kevin Rooney’s left wing along with Ryan Reaves.
“Real good,” Gallant said. “Real excited to see him play that way. He didn’t play a whole lot of minutes, but he felt great. Every time I asked him, he said, ‘I’m ready to go, Coach.’ He’s an important guy for us.”
Motte, an impending unrestricted free agent, went without a point or a penalty in nine regular-season games after being acquired.
Defenseman Patrik Nemeth, who logged 16 seconds in Game 5 as Gallant dressed seven blue-liners, was a healthy scratch.
Pens notes
Penguins fourth-liner Brian Boyle exited in the first period with a lower-body injury . . . Goalie Tristan Jarry (foot), who has yet to dress this series, participated in the Penguins’ morning skate in “full capacity,” according to coach Mike Sullivan. That would seem to indicate his potential return is imminent, but Alex D’Orio continued to back up Louis Domingue.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
