NHL | The half-year break was unknown. Chytil had an exclusive goal on his stick. He played better and better, the coach appreciated him

The current campaign of the Rangers is more and more reminiscent of the memorable year 1994, in which the Blueshirts won the Stanley Cup for the last time and were also the best team of the regular season. This year’s Presidents’ Trophy winners entered the playoffs just as their predecessors did 30 years ago. They currently have a record of 7-0 in it, having eliminated Washington in the first round and trampling Carolina in the second.

Messier et al. in the 94th, they initially wiped out their rivals from the Islanders, and only recorded their first defeat in the playoffs in the fourth game against Washington. They then fought their way to the Stanley Cup in two seven-game series with New Jersey and Vancouver.

The 2024 Rangers are still hot on the heels of Panarin’s extra-time game-winning goal, after which the Russian forward performed a spontaneous kung-fu kick with his left foot to celebrate. “I was happy, there were a lot of emotions. At first I didn’t even know what was happening,” Panarin recounted.

However, Chytil could have become the hero of the match, who stopped the home run at 2:1 for the guests in the third period, with a wonderful maneuver he outwitted the defender Brady Skjei, but the goalie Pjotr ​​Kočetkov luckily prevented him from closing the loop.

In the end, the Russian goalkeeper fired at the substitute, and his compatriot Andrej Svečnikov made it 2:2 in a power play. “A minute and a half before the end, too bad. But the important thing was how we responded in overtime,” said coach Peter Laviolette.

The New York coach considered the third match to be an ideal opportunity to return Chytil to the lineup. “We only had a day between matches, plus travel. It wanted to revive it somehow,” explained Laviolette.

The 24-year-old attacker last played on November 2, after which he suffered from concussion symptoms for many months, and he even spent several weeks preparing in the Czech Republic. After returning to New York, he scared teammates when he slumped to the ice during the first practice and appeared to be out for the season. However, the hard work paid off.

“It’s not the Filip who was ready for the whole season, but I’m back. I know I can help the team, and I will do anything for my teammates,” Chytil said.

“He pushed hard to come back. Our medical and coaching staff have done a great job with him over the past month. The longer the match went on, the better it was. It didn’t seem like he had a half-year break at all,” Laviolette appreciated.

Chytil jumped into the fourth line on the wing instead of Matt Rempe, played a total of 12:02 minutes and in the end he almost sweetened the comeback with a great piece, just a short distance away from the goal.

“It was wonderful to have Phil around again. He had a positive impact on our performance,” claimed teammate Chris Kreider. “His line played great minutes, they spent a lot of time in the offensive zone,” Laviolette recalled.

Rangers goalkeeper Igor Šestűorkin secured an important step towards progress with 45 saves, and the New York formations once again excelled at weakening. The Hurricanes didn’t use a single one of 15 power plays in the entire series.

Carolina has no choice but to hold on to the vague hope of becoming the fifth team in NHL history to win a series from 0-3. “We’re still alive,” roared Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour. After the fourth match, which is played on Sunday night, this may no longer be true.