Including the playoffs, it was their 97th consecutive game as linemates and Washington on Tuesday night was likely the worst of all them for Artemi Panarin, Vincent Trocheck and Alexis Lafreniere.
For the unit that has been one of the NHL’s most explosive over the last calendar year somehow was out-chanced 10-0 throughout 8:55 of ice time per NaturalStatTrick while surrendering four high danger opportunities against Igor Shesterkin in the 5-3 empty net-aided defeat.
That one stinker would not justify splitting the unit, but the Rangers could consider switching it up in order to jumpstart the heretofore somnambulant Chris Kreider-Mika Zibanejad-Reilly Smith triumvirate that had been on the ice for only three goals in 80:19 of five-on-five play entering Friday’s Garden confrontation with high-scoring Ottawa.
Tom Wilson #43 of the Washington Capitals and Artemi Panarin #10 of the New York Rangers battle for a puck.
The Trocheck combination had been on for seven Rangers goals in 116:06 while the electric third line combo of Will Cuylle-Filip Chytil-Kaapo Kakko has been on for nine goals (and none against) in 91:52.
The Chytil unit has been scoring at a clip of 5.88 goals per 60:00 while the Trocheck line checks in at 3.62 goals per 60 and the Zibanejad trio at 2.24 per.
So perhaps head coach Peter Laviolette might decide that sharing the wealth is the best approach to trigger a third scoring line.
He could flip left wings Panarin and Kreider. He could flip right wings Lafreniere and Smith. He could flip centermen Trocheck and Zibanejad.
Rangers center Mika Zibanejad (93) controls the puck in the third period against the Florida Panthers.
Or, Laviolette could do none of the above.
“That’s a hypothetical down the road and I’m not sure I have the answer for that,” the coach said when asked about it. “Right now I have not, as you know, and I’ve left it alone.
“The one thing that that line has produced even this year is consistent offense. It was a tough night for everybody [in Washington] and they were in that mix.
“But they have been an elite line in the league for however many games [they’ve been together],” Laviolette said. “I think that stays for now and you just leave that alone.
“[The] question hasn’t crossed my mind.”
The Trocheck combination led the NHL in goals last year, on for 54 goals at five-on-five, even though the line was not constructed until the 11th game of the season after Chytil went down for the count in Game 10.
Rangers center Filip Chytil (72) skates with the puck as Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson (74) chases.
Trocheck, who had started the year with Cuylle on his left and Blake Wheeler on the right, had been on for two goals scored the first 10 games of the 2023-24 season.
By the way, the GAG Line with Vic Hadfield (27), Jean Ratelle (40) and Rod Gilbert (37) combined to scored 104 goals at even-strength in 1971-72. That was the year, of course, in which Ratelle sustained a broken ankle in Game 63 that sidelined him for the remainder of the regular season.
It is unclear how many five-on-five goals the three linemates had all been on for over the first 63 games but one can surmise the number was larger than 54.
Of course, while the Zibanejad line has had its issues, the Chytil line has been a revelation.
All three components are integrating to form a puck-possession unit that brings the puck to the net. That has been noticeable from Kakko.
“He’s trying to attack a little bit more,” Laviolette said of the Finnish right wing. “He’s got the puck on his stick, you see it in practice, you see it in the games and that’s been an area we’re talking to him about.
Rangers left wing Chris Kreider (20) shoots the puck on Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson (48).
“Just trying to be a little quicker to get to the interior ice to get to the offense, to get the shot off, to get to the front of the net. There’s been some improvement there and he’s playing on a line where they’re all helping each other.”
The Rangers entered Friday’s match at 6-2-1 but with both regulation defeats coming within the previous three contests, losses to the Panthers and Caps sandwiched around a victory over the Ducks.
The Blueshirts addressed matters following the Washington disappointment.
“We left that behind,” Laviolette said. “We’re excited to get back at it.”
