As has been happening since the day he wore the blues, Artemi Panarin was in the middle of everything. This included a goal and a pair of assists in the first two periods of Monday’s Garden against the Flyers.
It also included a risky move in overtime that went awry and led directly to Jakub Voracek’s escape at 3:47 to give Philadelphia a 5-4 win in a game in which the Blueshirts were a little sloppy, a little urgent and, well , just not quite capable of doing so, despite having kept the lead 3-2 and 4-3
Do you want to give the Blueshirts a participation trophy for coming close after knowing that they would have to play without Adam Fox, Pavel Buchnevich and Phil Di Giuseppe, who were placed on the protocol list for COVID-19? Be our guest. In fact, that’s what the loser’s point stands for, isn’t it?
The first period was predictably miserable, after the morning skate was canceled for protection reasons, after the Blueshirts were removed on Sunday. But after losing 2-0, Rangers increased and it looked like the Flyers ran away after Panarin scored a goal and two assists in his team’s first three goals.
It was as if Panarin had never lost those nine games after taking a leave of absence as a result of those unfounded accusations of aggression against him. In fact, it was like 2019-20 again, with the Russian Rockette dictating and creating as it went.
Panarin spoke to the press for the first time since the allegations made by Andrei Nazarov on February 22, but postponed comments on the matter.
“It is probably not time to discuss this,” said Panarin through a translator. “I have nothing to hide. I will take care of everything after the season, but now, the focus is on the game and not on these discussions.”
OK, so let’s shift the focus to the Panarin game, which hasn’t lost its pace. In fact, No. 10 even seemed to be revived after losing nine games, leading the game with rhythm and precision.
“I haven’t really changed my routine. Maybe I got more rest, ”Panarin said when asked how to prepare for his return. “Perhaps that is the lesson that sometimes you should rest and play better.”
If Panarin was referring to cargo management, perhaps this is what the Blueshirts were taking advantage of in the first period when Keith Kinkaid was too hesitant to support the team that had been completely out of the ice since Saturday and appeared to be.
But the Blueshirts picked up the pace and played with energy and urgency throughout the second period, gaining a 3-2 lead with goals from Panarin, Colin Blackwell and Julien Gauthier, the last of whom impressed with the puck, but was also in the area carelessly three different times.
In a minute you just can’t understand how David Quinn managed to scratch the powerful 23-year-old wingman, as the coach has done seven times. In the next minute, you don’t understand how Quinn could play him, even in a reconstruction.
The 3-2 lead was erased at 18:36 seconds, when Joel Farabee scored a power-play goal with Gauthier in the area. And after Kevin Rooney gave the Blueshirts a 4-3 lead early in the third, Voracek equalized in a power-play goal at 5:33 with Gauthier in the area in front of a minor high sticking double.
The Rangers played with spirit. They had an absolute advantage in the territorial game, Mika Zibanejad was assertive, Chris Kreider shot for the net, but there were still many mistakes and many missed opportunities. This was a game that the Rangers seemed to have enjoyed. But not quite.
Panarin, who tried to hit Kinkaid’s soft overtime in an attempt to overtake Voracek on the left edges, but failed, allowing the Flyers’ winger to enter the goalkeeper alone, opted to focus on the positive.
“I was very happy that the team, unlike the beginning of the year, did not lose heart and returned after giving up a few goals”, said nº 10. “We didn’t have that quality at the beginning of the season. This quality is appearing more and more. It happened tonight and I am very happy with the answer. “