The Rangers got a sensational boost from their fourth line Sunday afternoon in their Game 1 victory over the Washington Capitals, including some feel-good love from the Garden crowd for Matt Rempe and significant contributions from Barclay Goodrow and Jimmy Vesey.
It sure makes for a nice narrative and some fun chants — Rempe heard his name a lot, especially after becoming the first Ranger since Matt Gilroy in 2011 to score a goal in his first-career playoff game. Rempe summed up the feeling like this, throwing a bouquet to the 18,006 in attendance:
“Oh, I love ‘em,” the 21-year-old said. “They’re the best. Chanting all night. I love them so much. I can’t thank them enough.”
But it says here that the biggest event in the Blueshirts’ 4-1 victory wasn’t from the epic contributions of the guys who usually are counted on mostly to grind. It was the second goal of the game, one that came 33 seconds after Rempe started the scoring in the second period. That’s when Artemi Panarin snapped a wrister past Washington goalie Charlie Lindgren.
That meant that Panarin, who soared for the Rangers with his best regular season ever, is officially off to a fast start in these playoffs. That could be crucial for a player who was in agony last year after he mostly disappeared in the Blueshirts’ first-round loss to the Devils. Panarin managed two measly assists in that series.
Panarin had not scored a goal in the playoffs since Game 4 of the 2021-22 Eastern Conference Finals at Tampa Bay. He now has 17 playoff goals in 58 games.
If there was any lingering psychic burden for Panarin off of the Devils series, maybe that quick goal in this series will banish it. And Panarin is unlocked, well, look out, Caps and the rest of the NHL. Artemi Time, anyone?
Panarin was by far the Rangers’ best player this season, a scoring machine who decided to shoot more and soared as it paid off. He was terrific during the 82-game schedule, playing every night and finishing fifth in both goals (49) and assists (71) and fourth in points (120). He was even fourth in 5-on-5 goals (38), a Ranger bugaboo.
Panarin was not a big talking point in the locker room afterward, even after his big goal. He acknowledged the importance of getting contributions from all corners of the roster.
“Everyone — score goals, block shots, intercept, go on the rush. Everybody contributes,” Panarin said through a translator.
Panarin also praised a check by Alexis Lafreniere that helped free the puck for his goal.
And Panarin loved the Rempe goal as much as everyone else in the building.
“It was fantastic,” Panarin said. “The fans were going wild. We on the bench were ecstatic. It was great to see that. Such an important goal.”
Rempe got a lot of postgame attention, just like he did during play. His physical style and willingness to fight has endeared him to Ranger fans and he may have to tussle with Tom Wilson at some point in this series, especially since the Washington heavyweight and his teammates were very physical in Game 1. So were the Rangers.
“He shows up every night for the team and it’s great to see him get that goal,” Vesey said of Rempe. “And it was a big goal in the game, obviously. You know, the look on his face was pretty cool, too.”
Rempe relished the contribution.
“I know my game,” he said. “I know I can skate well, be physical. I’m built for the playoffs.”
On a big night for the bottom-six forwards, Vesey also had a goal and an assist and Goodrow had two assists. Kaapo Kakko rang one off the post in the third period, too. If the grinders are going to be so impactful throughout the playoffs, the Rangers will be a very tough out.
Panarin can make them that, too. The Rangers need him, perhaps more than any single player other than Igor Shesterkin, the goalie who stopped 20 of 21 shots. Shesterkin became the sixth goalie in NHL history to allow two or fewer goals in 10 consecutive home playoff starts.
Panarin started the season hot and finished hot, tallying points in each of the last 13 games — 11 goals and 15 assists. It turned into something wonderful. You might have heard that the Rangers won the Presidents’ Trophy during the regular season, finishing with the most points in the NHL and setting several franchise records along the way.
Now Panarin has started the playoffs hot, too. If he keeps it up, if it really is Artemi Time, there’s no limit to where the Rangers can go.
