The regular season of the National Hockey League was marked by the success of Russian superstars. The Russians continued this trend at the start of the playoffs. First, the fire came from Carolina Hurricanes rookie Evgeniy Kuznetsov, whom the Washington Capitals wrote off and literally kicked out of the team, then Sergei Bobrovsky showed a top-level performance in the Southern Derby against the Tampa Bay Lightning, now two-time Art Ross Trophy winners. ” Nikita Kucherov.
Later, Artemy Panarin took over the baton.
For Khlebushka, this playoffs is truly special. After failure in the previous Stanley Cup, the Russian super forward of the New York Rangers intends to rehabilitate himself and show his best game in order to achieve the long-awaited success. Artemy had a strong regular season, setting a number of personal records and deservedly becoming the Rangers' most valuable player at the end of the championship.
“”I feel good, but we have a big time ahead of us. I need to forget about the regular season. I'm just trying to be ready for the playoffs and the emotions that come with it. I feel the pressure – we have to win the Stanley Cup. It's not just me personal pressure, but also on the whole team,” Panarin told American journalists the day before.
He retained this charge for the start of the playoffs, where the Blue Shirts met with Washington. Artemiy Panarin against Alexander Ovechkin, Igor Shesterkin against Charlie Lindgren, Peter Laviolette against his former team – there are more than enough scenarios for a delicious poster. But it was Khlebushek who became the main character.
In the first period alone, Artemy created a sufficient number of moments to collect them into a separate video with highlights. With his beautiful play, the Russian over and over again made the Madison Square Garden stands ooh and ah, and the Washington hockey players downright nervous. Panarin did not stand on ceremony and performed feints for every taste. Even Alexander Ovechkin appreciated this, as they say, from the first person.
But if Ovi acted as a spectator, then Beck Malensteen was less fortunate. Panarin heartily mocked Washington's Canadian forward. He naturally felt dizzy from Khlebushka’s feints.
Panarin sealed his beautiful game with the winning goal, which happened already in the second 20 minutes. Alexis Lafreniere played a great tackle near the boards and organized a scoring attack for the Rangers, which was completed by Artemy. For the Russian forward, this goal became the first in the new playoffs and the 17th in his career in Stanley Cup matches.
His main fans watched Panarin’s play closely. Namely, the eldest son Luka, who was on the podium together… with Oleg Znarok. Oleg Valerievich is taking a well-deserved break from coaching and spending time with his own grandchildren, who were given to him by his daughter Alisa, Artemy Panarin’s wife.
33 seconds before Panarin’s goal, the puck for the Rangers, unexpectedly for everyone, distinguished itself, perhaps the main one the bully and hooligan of the season is Matt Rempe, and a minute and a half after Artemy, Jimmy Vesey did the same. With the score 3:0 in favor of the Blue Shirts, Washington began to openly crumble. Even Martin Fehervary's goal and Alexander Ovechkin's spectacular power move did not significantly affect the situation. But Ovi’s emotions were over the edge today. In addition to the fact that the game for the team of the famous Russian goalscorer clearly did not work out, the referees also got on his nerves, making not the most obvious decisions not in favor of the “capitals”.
The Capitals will restart and return to the game They couldn’t, and at the end of the meeting, the hosts’ sniper Chris Kreider put an end to the match. 4:1 — Panarin’s Rangers started their campaign for the Stanley Cup brightly. “Washington” will have something to think about in order to prevent a major fiasco in the series.
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