As leaders: how Panarin scored an assistant hat-trick, and Kucherov scored three points in an NHL match

Panarin's organizational skills

In recent times, the Rangers have firmly held the title of one of the most talked about teams in the NHL.

Over the past month, they made two high-profile exchanges at once and strengthened the attacking line with the Stanley Cup holders in the person of Vladimir Tarasenko and Patrick Kane, but this hardly had such a positive impact on the team's results as the management expected.

Of the last eight matches, the New Yorkers have won only two and let their competitors in the fight for a place in the playoffs.

It was possible to interrupt a series of two defeats in Montreal, where the wards of Gerard Gallan dealt with the local Canadiens only in a shootout.

At the same time, during the meeting, the guests three times found themselves in the role of catching up, but each time they managed to restore parity.

And all thanks to its main star.

That evening Artemy Panarin did not score himself, but he helped his teammates do it three times.

Including former Chicago partner Kane, who finally scored his first points after moving to the Big Apple.

In fact, the Panarin-Kane connection was not involved only in the episode with the first goal.

There, Artemy brought Adam Fox to the striking position, under the attack of which Alexy Lafrenière skilfully placed his stick.

The remaining two were organized directly by the Russian-American duo.

First, a three-move with their participation was completed by Jacob Truba with a hit in the far nine, and then Patrick himself scored.

And in his case, this became a kind of atonement for a gross mistake.

71 seconds earlier, it was Kane's oversight during the majority conversion that led to the Rangers' third conceded goal.

The star forward, in an uncharacteristic manner, lost control of the puck in a foreign zone and allowed two Montreal forwards to run into the lead at once.

As a result, they easily figured out Fox and took Shesterkin by surprise, and Kane, who was rushing at full speed, could not interfere.

But soon he was rehabilitated and largely thanks to Panarin.

The main playmaker of the New Yorkers promptly changed the direction of the attack and helped Kane to remain without guardianship dangerously close to the target.

He slowly processed the transfer, drove a little closer and irresistibly “shot” into the far corner.

Sam Montembo was powerless.

The Rangers equalized the score for the third time, and in the shootout they still put the squeeze on the Canadiens.

Shesterkin repelled all three attempts of the opponent, while Mika Zibenazhad was accurate.

It is curious that it was the Swede who was recognized as the first star, although he did not add a single point to his piggy bank.

At the same time, Kane was not marked by experts at all, and Panarin took only third place.

But Artemy is unlikely to regret it.

After all, not only did he perform three assists per game for the fifth time this season, but he was also the third among Russians to overcome the bar of 70 points for the regular season (19 + 53).

He also rose to 15th place in the list of the best domestic assistants in the history of the NHL (435), overtaking Ilya Kovalchuk.

Benefits Kucherov

A few days ago, the Tampa Bay leader, who is currently ahead of Panarin by three accurate passes, submitted to the same achievement.

And it was the bright performance of Nikita Kucherov in the home confrontation with Vegas that made it possible to prevent the gap from shrinking to a minimum.

While he didn't save the Lightning from a sixth fiasco in their last seven games, he looked great and deservedly was named the third star, behind only teammate Braden Point and goaltender Jonathan Quick, who made 34 saves.

Like the Rangers, the Florida team was forced to constantly catch up.

And for the first time they missed already at the 27th second, but already four minutes later the score on the scoreboard was equal.

Kucherov himself could not hit the opponent's goal, but Point was at the right time in the right place and succeeded in finishing.

I had to try on the role of a savior again at the end of regular time.

Tampa were trailing by two goals, and with just over two minutes left before the siren, Kucherov's irresistible shot with a rebound off the bar forced Quick to capitulate again.

And 28 seconds before the end of the meeting, he again found Point with a pass.

The Russian made a false move and showed that he would attack himself, but instead he gave to the naked Canadian.

In overtime, Vegas took advantage of Kucherov's absence on the ice and still put the squeeze on the Lightning.

Andrey Vasilevsky missed the most offensive goal.

He reacted to Jack Eichel's "shot", but the puck treacherously leaked between his shields, and Alec Martinez, who came to the gate in time, finished it off into the net.

But it is unlikely that this seriously blurred the impression of Nikita's game.

He scored three points in the second match in a row and continued to chase, if not for the unstoppable Connor McDavid (124), then for his teammate Leon Draisaitl.

The German has 97 points, the Russian has three less.

The return of Kochetkov and Malkin's record

In addition to Panarin and Kucherov, Andrey Svechnikov, Pyotr Kochetkov and Evgeny Dadonov became one of the main characters of the game day.

The first two brought the "Carolina" the fourth victory in a row, and the second took part in the defeat of the "Buffalo".

Dallas humiliated the opponent (10:4), and the attacker chalked up the puck and the transfer.

Thus, in a week and a half of being with the Stars, he has already “shot” five (2 + 3) points, while in the previous four months he scored only 18th.

Svechnikov finally corrected his sight and began to regularly upset his opponents.

Five days ago, he scored against Tampa, and this time he became the author of the only accurate hit in the confrontation with Philadelphia.

Already at the 129th second, he left Felix Sandström out of work with a touchdown during the majority draw.

And no matter how hard the Flyers tried, they failed to restore parity.

As well as to prevent the Russian from getting the title of the first star of the meeting.

Kochetkov, on the other hand, not only took second place in the list of the main heroes of the match, but also third - within the framework of the whole day.

In January, the promising Russian was exiled to the AHL in connection with the return of both main goalkeepers of the Hurricanes, but due to another injury to Antti Raanta, he was again called up to the base.

And he immediately scored the fourth "cracker" in the championship, reflecting all 19 opponent's throws. 

Another young Russian goalkeeper followed Kochetkov's example.

Ivan Prosvetov parried 39 shots out of 40 and ensured Arizona a victory over Nashville (4: 1).

And this is all the more impressive, because the 24-year-old athlete took to the ice for the first time in the current championship.

Prior to that, he only once got into the application of the Coyotes - in mid-January, he personally watched how his team smashed Pittsburgh.

Did not leave without glasses and two other domestic legionnaires of the NHL.

Pavel Buchnevich extended the hitting streak to seven meetings and helped St. Louis break the resistance of San Jose.

With the score 2:2, the striker first assisted Yakub Vrana, and then Robert Thomas.

And although the Blues are frankly failing this season, the Russian has nothing to reproach himself with.

He not only ranks second on the team's top scorer list (20 + 36), but also boasts a high utility score ("11").

For comparison, all the remaining representatives of the top 10 are in the red.

In turn, Evgeni Malkin also recalled his organizational skills.

At the end of the first period, Jason Zucker scored with his pass and brought Pittsburgh ahead.

Subsequently, Josh Archibald strengthened the hosts' advantage (3:1), but the Islanders managed to turn the tide of the confrontation - first to win back, and then to take over in overtime.

Another great match was held by Ilya Sorokin, who accounted for 33 rescues.

As for Malkin, on this day he set another achievement, but he is unlikely to be proud of it.

So, already in his debut, he earned a removal and came out on top in the history of the Penguins in the number of penalty minutes (1050).

According to this indicator, he overtook Kevin Stevens.

And it is unlikely that anyone will remove him from this position in the near future.

Among active hockey players, his closest pursuers are Sidney Crosby (777) and Chris Letang (686).