It was late in the third period of Game 1 Sunday when Jack Roslovic worked the puck free from around the Rangers net, passed it to Mika Zibanejad who quickly sent a sling-shot of a pass down the ice to Chris Kreider, breaking free and uncovered into the Capitals zone.
Kreider, in his 12th season as a Rangers winger, skated right at Capitals goalie Charlie Lindgren and then made a deke move to his right — Lindgren’s stick side — and backhanded the puck into the Washington net for a 4-1 Rangers lead with 3:43 remaining.
The goal sealed the victory for the Rangers, allowing them to take a 1-0 playoff series lead into Tuesday night’s Game 2 at the Garden.
It, too, was Kreider’s 41st playoff goal in 108 career postseason games, and further testament to his remarkable consistency over the years.
There was beauty to Kreider’s clincher in that his goals often come from in front of the net, where he camps and deflects teammates’ passes and shots toward the crease.
So, many of his goals come at a physical cost.
On the score Sunday, Kreider was able to put on display his speed and deliver a rather artistic goal.
The other beauty to the goal is that everyone knew where Kreider was going to go with the puck — including the goalie, who still couldn’t stop it.
“That’s his move,’’ Rangers winger Jimmy Vesey said Tuesday after the team’s morning skate.
“There was no doubt in my mind what he was going to do with it,’’ Rangers teammate Vincent Trocheck said with a smile. “Yeah, he’s typically scoring on those opportunities.’’
If Kreider’s teammates marvel at anything about his game it’s his consistency.
He’s scored at least 20 goals in nine of the past 10 seasons. His best year was 2021-22 when he scored 52 goals, including an NHL-best 26 from the power play and a league-leading 11 game-winners.
Kreider has been no slouch in the two seasons since his career year, scoring 36 goals last season and 39 this season.
He’s done some of his best work in the postseason. Even in losing to the Devils in seven games last season, Kreider scored six goals and had three assists.
In 2021-22, he scored 10 goals and had six assists in 15 playoff games.
“Consistency is the hardest thing to do in sports, and to do it for as long as he has is really impressive,’’ Vesey said. “I’ve got a lot of respect for ‘Kreids.’ I’ve played with him for a long time and sit next to him here in the locker room. He takes care of himself and does the right things to be prepared every year. He scores his goals from in front of the net, which is not an easy job.
“And he’s from Massachusetts, so … even more respect,’’ Vesey, a fellow Massachusetts native, added with a smile.
“He’s been here a long time and is one of the leaders on and off the ice,’’ Rangers wing Kaapo Kakko said.
“I played several games against him and he has speed and he’s heavy on the puck,’’ Alex Wennberg, who came to the Rangers at the trade deadline, said of Kreider. “It’s great having him as a teammate instead of playing against him. It’s great to play with some guys you played against and kind of hated playing against him.’’
Kreider is a silent assassin of sorts. He’s humble and not an attention seeker. He, in fact, hasn’t been available to the media once this postseason entering Tuesday night’s game.
His presence is felt among his teammates and coaches, though.
“You can feel his presence in the locker room and also on the ice,’’ Wennberg said.
“He’s played an awful lot of playoff games for this organization and you can rely on those guys [like Kreider] in the room and on the ice for the way they play the game,’’ Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said.
“Obviously, I have a ton of respect for ‘Kreids,’ ’’ Trocheck said. “What makes him so good is his consistency in the way he plays. He doesn’t change. What makes him successful in the regular season is the same thing that makes him successful in the playoffs. He plays a heavier style of hockey. He’s a big guy who’s tough to move out from in front of the net and has lots of speed.’’
As evidenced on that breakaway goal Sunday.
