Nobody ever projected Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad and Pavel Buchnevich would become the linear descendants of Vic Hadfield, Jean Ratelle and Rod Gilbert, but neither did anyone suggest that the Blueshirts’ putative first unit would be split up after six periods.
“If you’d told that to me before the season, I’d have looked at you a little weirdly, but after our two games together I’m not surprised because I saw how we played together,” Zibanejad told The Post following Wednesday’s practice. “I honestly thought we had some good looks, but we couldn’t capitalize and we didn’t score. Sometimes you start off really hot, and sometimes you don’t.