New York. It’s already February.
Naturally, Mika Zibanejad made an immediate impact with two goals and an assist as the New York Rangers came back last night from the All-Star break to defeat Calgary 5-4 at Madison Square Garden.
– Well, in February-March it usually comes. But I’m glad that in the end we managed to win this bad game, he told Sportbladet.
In fact, he is called “Mr. February,” the first Swedish center for the New York Rangers.
He has a habit of producing like the entire Gretzky this time of year. As before the pandemic hit in 2020, when he scored five goals in one match and appeared to be on his way to Håkan Loob’s Swedish record of 50 goals.
So no one was surprised when Mika hit a beautiful two-hit early in the second half against the Flames last night — and he also played Alexis LaFreniere in overtime.
– He was very nice, because I thought he was very frustrated with me the first two periods, he says when we meet him next.
– In general, it feels very good that we finally managed to win this match. It wasn’t really high class, it was dirty on both sides. This is often the case in the first game after a long break, but it’s especially nice when you take the two points this way and get some breathing room.
Not a match to remember wise
No, it wasn’t a good match – but entertaining. Not least for many physical items. Controversial Rangers captain Jacob Trueba, for example, fielded two brutal but clean “open ice” cuts, to which the visitors responded with gloves.
– It gives energy to the whole team to see the captain do such things, says Mika.
Speaking of energy, the 29-year-old Stockholmer amassed a lot of that last week, because while most other players in the league took short vacations in the Caribbean or Europe during the break, he stayed home in New York. With his wife, Irma.
– I had an accident last year when I was about to miss training due to a canceled flight and I didn’t want to be involved in that again, so I was just here and took it easy, he says.
It was amazing and much needed to be able to enjoy New York without thinking about hockey and I think I would benefit a lot from being able to get back into shape mentally and physically this week.
Yes, now is the month of February and the targets will be produced….
Mikael Backlund had two assists for the Flames, Elias Lindholm and Rasmus Andersson – and in the penalty area the powerful Jacob Markström stopped 28 shots.
