The Rangers' Mika Zibanejad and teammates react to a loss to the Devils in an NHL game on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021, at Madison Square Garden. Credit: AP/Elsa
A year ago, almost, Mika Zibanejad had the game of his life – of almost anyone’s life – when he scored five goals, including the game-winner, in a 6-5 overtime win over the Washington Capitals on March 5, 2020, at the Garden.
Zibanejad became the third Ranger to score five goals in a game, behind Mark Pavelich, in 1983 and Don Murdoch, in 1976, had done it before. But their performances had come in blowout wins for the Rangers; in Zibanejad’s case, he wasn’t just stat-collecting in garbage time.