The New York Rangers’ third line has been making valuable contributions all season, and the trio’s success in Game 1 against Tampa Bay is a big reason the team finally has a lead during a postseason series.
Dubbed ‘The Kid Line’ because of their ages — Fillip Ch ital is 22, Alexis Lafreniere 20 and Kaabo Kakos 21 — the three combined for five points in New York's 6-2 victory Wednesday night in the series opener. Now they'll look to keep it going when the Rangers host the lightning in Game 2 on Friday night (8 pm EDT, ESPN).
“They’ve had a huge impact since the playoffs started” Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said Thursday. “We broke them up a few times because of different matchups, but overall they’ve been outstanding. They got inside, they scored some nice goals, they made some good plays, and they’re attacking, they’re a confident bunch of kids right now, and we need that to continue”
Lafreniere has nine points (two goals, seven assists), Ch ital eight (seven goals, one assist) and Kakko four (one goal, three assists) this postseason. In the last three games — all Rangers wins — Ch ital has five goals, and Lafreniere and Kakos each have two assists.
“I think down low in their end we’re a good line" Lafreniere said. "We got to get out of our zone as quick as we can and try to spend as much time in their end because that’s where we’re comfortable, and we’re at our best. I think we’re playing as a unit and using our skills”
Ch ital, selected in the first round of the 2017 NHL draft, made the team out of training camp that fall before being sent down to the AHL for several months. He is the third-longest tenured player on the team behind Chris Krieger and Mike Zibanejad. Kakos, the second overall pick in the 2019 draft, had seven goals and three assists during the season. Lafreniere, the No. 1 overall selection in 2020, had 19 goals and 12 assists this season.
Ch ital had eight goals in 67 games during the regular season and has nearly matched that in 15 playoff games, including two goals in Game 1 of this series.
“He’s starting to get a little more comfortable and his skating is unbelievable” Lafreniere said. "He can shoot, so for me, it’s just tried to find him on the ice and give him the puck in good spots. I think he really stepped up his game in the last couple of weeks, so it’s really good to see"
The youngsters have helped the Rangers move ahead in a series for the first time. In the first two rounds, New York never led until advancing with wins in Game 7 each time. They trailed Pittsburgh 1-0 and 3-1, and were behind Carolina 2-0 and 3-2
That doesn't matter to the Rangers. They plan on keeping their approach the same whether they're trailing or leading.
“We take it one game at a time” Gallant said. “We know we won last night, and we’re up 1-0 in the series, but it doesn’t make a difference. You just worry about the next game. You move on, you play the game and get ready for the next one”
Tampa Bay came out a little sluggish to start the series after having last played nine days earlier when they finished their second-round sweep of Florida on May 23. Over the last three postseasons in which they've won 10 straight series, including back-to-back Stanley Cup championships, the lightning are 17-0 in games following a loss.
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