Artemi Panarin just scored three goals, Alexis Lafreniere got points in three games in a row, and Vincent Trocheck had a great game with four points. The Rangers’ second line is on fire as they get ready to play Carolina at Madison Square Garden.
Trocheck thinks there’s no magic to their success, just playing together a lot, thanks to Peter Laviolette.
“Sometimes it’s just instinct,” Trocheck said. “We’ve got good chemistry with each other right now. Having the amount of time together that we’ve had this year to build chemistry and know each other’s tendencies has been good.”
Their hard work paid off. The Rangers were the first team to reach 50 points in the league this season, a first since they won the Stanley Cup in 1994.
The second line, led by Panarin, has been amazing. Panarin’s stats are through the roof this season, with career highs in points, goals, and shots per game.
Laviolette thinks Panarin’s success is because of the whole line playing well together.
“I think they’ve done a really good job of playing well with each other,” Laviolette said.
Artemi Panarin just scored three goals
But it’s not just about shooting more for Panarin, Laviolette explained. It’s about getting better shots.
“It’s nice he’s shooting more and getting rewarded for it,” Laviolette said. “A couple of the goals he scored the last game were shooters’ goals. Those weren’t something that came necessarily off of a pass. He had to create by moving and creating time and space and finding a lane.”
The second line has been on fire, scoring five goals in the last three games. Panarin alone has 23 goals in 35 games.
“Our team is going well and everyone has been contributing,” Jacob Trouba said. “But you need your best players to be your best players. And ours have done a pretty good job so far this year.”
Their next challenge is against Carolina, a tough opponent. But Trocheck believes in keeping it simple.
“Not getting away from our game and continuing to play the right way,” Trocheck said. “Playing simple. We’re at our best when we don’t feed into other teams’ transition games. We’re pretty confident in our offense. If we play the right way, we’ll get chances and be able to score.”
