His signature is all over the recent history of the Rangers. It’s spelled out clearly. Just as no one, but no one, could miss him down here on Thursday night.
The. National. Hockey. League. Saw. Chris.
Number 20 came about as close as possible as pulling a No. 11, for it was Chris Kreider, the senior Ranger, who recorded a natural hat trick in the third period that allowed the Rangers to overcome a 3-1 deficit and record a Game 6 series-clinching 5-3 victory over the Canes.
This victory will mark the Blueshirts’ fifth trip to the conference final in the 13 years since Kreider joined the team fresh out of Boston College for the first round of the 2012 tournament. He was there for Adam Henrique. He was there for Jonathan Quick. He even managed to crash into Carey Price one time. He was there for the Tampa Bay letdown. He was there for The Letter.
He managed to actually get three in the third period the same way Mark Messier got three in the third period at the Meadowlands, back in 1994, in another great Game 6 when the Blueshirts were down 2-1 to the Devils after 40 and facing extinction.
Game 6 in 1994.
Game 6, 30 years later.
