WINNIPEG, Manitoba — The last time it took Mika Zibanejad eight or more games to score his first goal of a season, the Swedish center was 21 years old and playing for the Ottawa Senators during the 2014-15 season.
While it was clearly on his mind, it wasn’t like Zibanejad didn’t have a hand in the Rangers’ 6-2-0 start, which has had the club sitting in first place in the Metropolitan Division just under a month into the season.
After a three-assist performance in the season opener, Zibanejad, now 30, chipped in two more helpers over the next six contests before Saturday night’s three-point effort.
His line with Chris Kreider and Kaapo Kakko has been productive, owning the fifth-highest expected goals percentage in the NHL among other units with at least 30 minutes together at five-on-five, according to MoneyPuck.
Though chasing that first score for as long as he did was clearly unfamiliar territory for Zibanejad, who had a lighter air to him after getting the monkey off his back Saturday night.
“Yeah, I mean, I’m not going to lie — I think frustrating from the chances that have been there,” Zibanejad said after the Rangers won their fourth straight game in Vancouver, where their No. 1 center scored a go-ahead power-play goal in the third period. “How close it’s been. It’s a lot easier to deal with when the team is winning. We get the two points, that’s all that matters. Obviously, I want to be able to contribute and help. As long as we win, it doesn’t hurt as much.”
One of the most impressive aspects of the Rangers’ strong start is the fact that half of their eight wins have been multi-goal victories, but they’ve only gotten a single goal from their top two centers in Zibanejad and Filip Chytil.
Of their 25 total goals, the Rangers have scored 10 on the power play. They have also received eight tallies from defensemen and 17 from forwards.
The fact that Zibanejad and Chytil haven’t even really started going yet indicates that the Rangers could become even more of offensive juggernaut than they already are.
While Chytil is still searching for his first goal of the season, the Czech center has racked up six assists and is still the fifth-highest point-producing skater on the Rangers.
The same praise can be given to Chytil and his line, with Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere, as the Zibanejad unit. Maybe even more so. That trio has been consistently active in the offensive zone game in and game out, creating open ice and serving as three individual scoring threats.
Even without scoring goals, however, Zibanejad and Chytil have both played their first and second-line center roles.
“I think it’s just a matter of time, when you’re getting the looks and getting the chances and you hit the post,” Laviolette said of Zibanejad. “I think he hit it [Saturday night], too. So you just got to stay with it. You’re doing the right things and eventually they’ll drop. That was nice to see that happen.”
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