Combination of Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin is making strides for Rangers

GREENBURGH, N.Y. — Both Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin have gone on the record saying they’d like to play together on the same line for an extended period. And over the last 10 days, they’ve gotten the chance to do that.

When the Rangers closed out their pre-Christmas schedule Thursday at Madison Square Garden against the rival Islanders, Zibanejad and Panarin started their fourth straight game on the same line, along with utility forward Barclay Goodrow. And while the results haven’t been exactly mind-blowing, Zibanejad thinks the line was trending in the right direction.

“We’ve played more than a period-and-a-half, two periods together,’’ Zibanejad said after the Rangers’ morning skate at their Westchester County practice rink. “I don't think it's perfect, but I definitely think there's a lot of improvements … I feel like when you get that consistency of the alignments, you're able to work through the ups and downs, as well to figure out why are we not generating [chances], why are we doing this, or, the good things that we're doing, try to highlight that more, and try to do more of that.’’

  Against the Islanders Thursday night Panarin scored the tying goal in the first periond off an assist from Zibanejad. 

Coach Gerard Gallant put the line together late in the first period of the Dec. 12 game against the Devils, after the Rangers had fallen behind, 2-0, within the first five minutes. The Rangers had won their previous three games, but Gallant didn’t like what he was seeing against the Devils, and so he swapped Zibanejad, who’d been playing between wingers Alexis Lafrenière and Kaapo Kakko, with Filip Chytil, who’d been between Panarin and Goodrow. The Rangers ended up coming back and winning, 4-3, and Gallant has kept the lines together since.

“They're starting to read off each other pretty good,’’ Gallant said when asked about Zibanejad and Panarin together. “I like it. It might change tonight in a second period, but we'll see … They've been good, and they're talented players. And so, we'll see where it goes.’’

The analytics for the line weren’t great entering Thursday. According to the hockey analytics site Natural Stat Trick, in 56:13 together at 5-on-5 — generally playing against the opposing team’s top line — the trio had amassed 18 shots on goal, compared to 20 against, and scoring chances were 19 for and 21 against. High-danger chances were five for and nine against. The most important stat, though, goals-for and goals-against, were 3-1 in their favor.

Taking Goodrow off the line, the numbers for Zibanejad and Panarin together saw shots for/against numbers of 35-31, though goals for/against were 3-4.

Zibanejad is confident the numbers will come around.

“Obviously, you need to play well together to stay together,’’ he said. “But I think you also need the time to kind of figure out if that's the best solution for us, the best solution for the team. Does it work better with another line? Does it work better with other players? You never know that until you try it. I mean, we've had so many different line combinations before, as well, that's worked really well. So you always have that . . . fall back.’’

A week ago, Gallant said that while he liked the lines as currently constructed, he couldn’t promise that they would stay this way. He likes the Kid Line of Lafrenière, Chytil and Kakko, and he suggested thathe might reunite Zibanejad with his longtime left wing, Chris Kreider.

Doing that, and separating Panarin from Zibanejad would effectively give the Rangers two dangerous lines.

“I want three dangerous lines,’’ Gallant said. “Those kids [Lafrenière, Chytil and Kakko] … when they're playing their game, they're pretty dangerous too. But no, I think the balance throughout your lineup is really good. And I don't think it makes a difference If Panarin’s playing [with Zibanejad], or Kreider's playing there. It doesn't really make a big difference to me.’’

By Colin Stephenson

colin.stephenson@newsday.comColinSNewsday

Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.