Updated at 08.00 | Published on 07.58
New York. Last night it finally happened…
Mika Zibanejad chose the right moment to score his first goal of the season, going a long way in helping his New York Rangers extend their impressive away streak.
– I’m not going to lie, it was a little frustrating, not least because of how close it was. But that kind of thing is much easier to deal with when the team is winning all the time, he says after the 4-3 win in Vancouver.
He did not want to move out of the starting midfield position for the New York Rangers in blue and yellow during the start of this season – although he did pass pucks into the opponent’s boxes, above all with his brilliant direct shot.
But as I said:
At Rogers Arena in Vancouver last night, Mika finally broke the deadlock.
On the power play 13:24 into the third period, he took a great pass from Adam Fox and swept the puck behind an outsmarted Casey DeSmith.
– great? Yeah, I’m not going to lie, it was a bit frustrating, especially considering how many chances I created and how close they were, Stockholm says when he meets the media afterwards.
– But at the same time, such matters are easier to deal with when the team wins all the time.
So do the Rangers.
Decided in extra time
It is true that the Canucks succeeded in reducing the deficit scored by Mika to 3-2 with the opening goal, but in overtime Kandre Miller decided, who was played wonderfully by Chris Kreider.
This means the Manhattan team has won all four games during its ongoing road trip in the North American West – against Seattle, Calgary, Edmonton and now Vancouver in that order.
– We did not reach our highest level tonight, but we had to find ways to get the two points even in times like these and we did that, continues Mika, who also contributed with two assists.
On Tuesday night, the Rangers can complete a “road trip” against the Winnipeg Jets at the Canada Life Centre.
Elias Pettersson answered for the Canucks’ assist in the game of the night.