Rangers' 'big guys stepped up' in Game 6 against Devils

NEW YORK -- Mika Zibanejad talked on Wednesday, before Game 5 of the Eastern Conference First Round, about the pressure to produce in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and how it's a privilege to have it on you, to be the one counted on to deliver in the biggest moments of the season.

The New York Rangers center couldn't do it in Game 5 against the New Jersey Devils on Thursday. He wasn't alone.
But Zibanejad and the Rangers got another chance in Game 6 at Madison Square Garden on Saturday. This time he scored. This time he delivered. He wasn't alone.
The Rangers won 5-2 to force a Game 7 against the Devils at Prudential Center on Monday because their big guys who were shouldering the pressure and feeling the heat led the way.
Zibanejad had a goal and an assist. Chris Kreider had a goal and two assists. Vladimir Tarasenko had a goal and an assist. Adam Fox had two assists. And Igor Shesterkin did his thing, dominating in the crease for 34 saves. Even he tried to score.
"The big guys stepped up," Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said. "Big difference."
RELATED: [Complete Devils vs. Rangers series coverage]
The Rangers were held to two goals on 82 shots in the previous three games, none on 23 shots in Game 5. They lost them all and went down 3-2 in the best-of-7 series after they dominated the Devils in Games 1 and 2.
In those three games they got a combined three points from Zibanejad (one assist), Kreider (goal, assist), Tarasenko (nothing) and Fox (nothing). Patrick Kane (two assists), Vincent Trocheck (goal) and Artemi Panarin (nothing) also factored in for three points.
It was bad. The Rangers were on the ropes because of it.
"You score two goals in three games, you're frustrated," Fox said. "The whole team is frustrated when you aren't able to score. Everyone is a little upset with themselves when you only score two goals over a three-game span. It was nice to see the puck go in."
It did first off Kreider's foot at 19:35 of the first period, a power-play goal that tied the game 1-1.
It was liberating for the Rangers to see the puck go in.
The Devils were in control up until that point, winning puck battles and owning possession time just as they had done particularly well in Games 4 and 5.
But Zibanejad takes a one-timer from the top of the left face-off circle that was going wide right and instead the puck takes a quick turn into the net off Kreider's foot, and everything changed for the Rangers.
"Beautiful game we play," Kreider said, jokingly.
Simple sometimes too.
"I'm going to try to shoot," Zibanejad said, "and now the puck goes in."
It did for him at 10:10 of the second period, a high shot from between the hash marks that gave the Rangers a 2-1 lead.
"I wish I scored on every shot," Zibanejad said. "This would be a really simple game, an easy game. But it's not. Playing with the guys I'm playing with, just keep trusting me and keep trusting myself."
He did. They did.
The Rangers as a whole trusted themselves.
They were unwavering in their ability and their belief in the game plan to win Game 6. It brought back memories of how they came back to win in seven games against the Pittsburgh Penguins and Carolina Hurricanes in the playoffs last year.
"Desperate hockey," Gallant said.
They started to control the puck in the second period, using the momentum created by Kreider's goal and Zibanejad's that followed. They supported each other, which was evident on Tarasenko's goal at 18:25 that made it 3-1.
Fox pinched down the right-wing wall and Tarasenko covered for him at the right point, holding the puck in. Kreider took it from the half-wall and found Tarasenko in the middle for an open look from between the circles. He beat Schmid with another high shot.
"They attacked more," Gallant said. "The mentality was we're down three games to two, we've got to have more attack, we've got to score more goals. They went out there and played hard, found a way to score some goals on the kid."
The rest of the team followed.
Barclay Goodrow got the first fourth-line goal of the series for the Rangers, scoring on a rebound of Jimmy Vesey's shot off a 2-on-1 at 7:23 of the third period to make it 4-1.
Braden Schneider got the second goal by a Rangers defenseman in the series with a one-timer from the left point to make it 5-1 at 12:28.
The Devils took out Schmid after that goal. He gave up five on 29 shots after allowing two on 82 shots in winning Games 3, 4 and 5.
"You can look at certain guys and producing and whatnot, but I think we know as a team that everyone can contribute here, and you saw it tonight," Fox said. "That's what it's going to take. Obviously, it's nice for guys who maybe have the expectations and the pressure and want to contribute a lot, but it's going to take a team effort."
It certainly will in Game 7 on Monday. But it has to be the Rangers' big guys leading the way as they did in Game 6.
The pressure is on them. They earned it.