NEW YORK — For a team to accomplish much of anything in the playoffs, its top-end players need to play like top-end players. A random hero can win a game here or there, but they can’t win a series, let alone four.
Monday’s regular-season finale against lowly Ottawa wasn’t a postseason contest for the Rangers, but the Presidents’ Trophy and home-ice advantage for the playoffs were at stake. With a chance to secure both, New York’s best performed up to their standard.
“It’s great to see those guys do what they do at such a high level and at such important times,” Jack Roslovic said after the Rangers’ 4-0 win. “They’re ready.”
Igor Shesterkin stopped all 26 shots he saw. Chris Kreider made two of his best passes of the season, both for primary assists. Artemi Panarin scored his 49th goal of the year and assisted on another, and Adam Fox also had a goal and an assist.
“They’ve really been there all year,” coach Peter Laviolette said.
So it was fitting that they were when the Rangers needed them Monday.
The league started awarding the Presidents’ Trophy in 1985-86 to the team with the best regular season record. New York most recently won it in 2014-15 and has two other times in its history, including in 1993-94, the season in which it won the Stanley Cup.
“It’s obviously an accomplishment,” captain Jacob Trouba said. “Whenever you’re playing for something, for a trophy, it’s never something you take lightly. I think it’s good for us to have the mentality of the extra sense of urgency going into the playoffs.”
The Rangers dropped games Tuesday and Thursday to the Islanders and Flyers, respectively, which opened the door for fast-charging Carolina to join the hunt for the trophy. The Hurricanes are also a divisional foe, so staying ahead of them was crucial for home-ice purposes. Carolina, which entered Monday two points back of the Rangers in the standings, plays Tuesday against Columbus — a team it should beat — and it would have had the tiebreaker with New York had the teams ended tied in the standings. The Rangers likely needed Monday’s win to stay ahead. Players knew that going in.
“We’re not oblivious to those things,” Fox said. “First and foremost (the focus) was winning our division. Obviously the Presidents’ Trophy is a great plus on that. … It was a good way to end our season and go into (the) playoffs on the right foot.”
The Rangers’ top line, built around center Mika Zibanejad and left wing Chris Kreider, has struggled to score five-on-five goals at points this season. Deadline addition Jack Roslovic has been inconsistent, but he put together a strong final two games of the season. His skating jumped out and was key to getting the Rangers started against Ottawa. Early in the first period, Zibanejad pressured Shane Pinto in the defensive zone. The forward tried to pass backward to Drake Batherson, but Kreider got a piece of the puck, sending it into the neutral zone, where Roslovic parked it away from Artem Zub. Kreider grabbed it and carried possession into the offensive zone. Roslovic raced to join him on a two-on-one.
The longest-tenured Ranger slid a pass to the newest one, and Roslovic put it into the net.
Kreider with the dish to Roslovic 🚨 pic.twitter.com/RBGAlTAKmJ
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 15, 2024
“Excellent,” Laviolette said of his top line’s play. “Last game, tonight. Excellent.”
Kreider is known most for his goal scoring, particularly in front of the net, but his passing drove the Rangers on Monday. With New York short-handed after a Kaapo Kakko slash in the second period, he found Fox with a perfect dish on a short-handed rush attempt. Fox, who had a step on the backchecking Dominik Kubalik, redirected the pass into the net.
“We had a lot of chances,” Fox said. “You want that second one because all it takes is one bounce for them to tie it up. Then it’s back and forth.”
His goal ensured that wouldn’t be the case. Panarin, who started the night with 48 goals and desperately wanted to close the season two more, tipped in a Ryan Lindgren shot to give the Rangers a three-goal lead in the third period.
“I couldn’t score all game and then I finally tipped in something,” said Panarin, whom fans serenaded with “M-V-P!” chants throughout the evening.
The 50-goal milestone was on Panarin’s mind not just in the third period but all game, he said. He tried to get there even after Alexis Lafrenière made the score 4-0, double-shifting on a Rangers’ power play late, but couldn’t get a second of his 18 shot attempts to go in. Laviolette knew his star wanted to reach the number, but he stressed that coming short didn’t change what Panarin has meant to the team all season.
The Rangers finish the year with a franchise-record 55 victories. Their end goal has never been to finish with the most regular season wins, but by doing so, they’ve secured home-ice advantage for as long as they go in the playoffs. Their first-round series — which likely will start Sunday considering the Knicks have a home playoff game Saturday at Madison Square Garden — will be against one of Washington, Detroit, Philadelphia or Pittsburgh.
New York will take the days off to rest and get ready for postseason hockey — even if they have to wait longer than some players would like.
“I feel a little bit uncomfortable that it’s so far until the playoffs,” a cheerful Panarin said through a translator. “I’d rather it start as soon as possible.”
(Photo: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)
