The NHL regular season match between the New York Rangers and Chicago has turned into a real benefit for Russian striker Artemiy Panarin. Khlebushek not only scored two goals and gave two assists, but also won an important achievement for any hockey player.
It is symbolic that Panarin scored the 500th point in the strongest league in the world in the match with the team, where his overseas career began.
It's a pity that Artemy's benefit performance was overshadowed by the terrible injury of his opponent.
Principal contender
“Chicago” is a team that Panarin is familiar with, because it was there that he made his first steps in the NHL. The story of his departure from the club is known: after an unsuccessful performance in the first round of the Stanley Cup in 2016/2017, the general manager of Blackhawks made an unexpected move, exchanging the Russian for Columbus. It was a shock not only for Artemiy, but also for the fans of “Chicago”. Then it seemed that Panarin, who played excellently with the leader of the Blackhawks Patrick Kane, would become the future star of the team. Instead, he went to the Blue Jackets. The Russian striker did not understand this decision even after several years: “I thought I would spend my entire playing career at Chicago. I am still surprised by this step. ”
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The path to a big club for Panarin turned out to be thorny – in transit through Columbus in 2019, he still moved to the Rangers, where he now earns more than $ 11 million a year and is the undisputed leader. Now Artemy probably does not regret anything, but the matches against the first overseas team remain special for him: “At first I was shaken in the games against Chicago,” the Russian said. – Now I go out on the ice with faith in my strength. And so I play pretty well. “
Panarin is on fire
Not bad – not the right word! If Chicago knew what kind of animal Panarin would turn into in the two December games, they would have prepared better. In the meantime, it remains to summarize: the Russian recorded seven (3 + 4) points in two games against the former team, making a significant contribution to two victories.
He was especially successful in the last meeting, which began with an assist pass performed by the Russian. Panarin did not postpone the 500th effective action in the NHL, having given the cutting pass to Jacob Trobe already in the second minute of the game. He successfully asked for Marc-André Fleury and opened an account. Immediately after the goal, Troba took the puck and, together with his partners, rushed to congratulate Panarin: the team, of course, knew what achievement the Russian was on the verge of.
The Blackhawks managed to recoup and went on the break with an advantage, but at the beginning of the second period Panarin took the floor again, finding himself alone in the face-off circle. Having received the puck from Mika Zibanejad, who fought at the gate, he restored his balance. The second period was limited to goals, but he was overshadowed by the injury of the “Chicago” player Jujhar Haira, who fell under the forceful reception of Troba: the hockey player left the ice on a stretcher and was immediately sent to the hospital.
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Finally, the scales were on the side of “New York” in the third period, which the Rangers carried out with maximum shock, sending four unanswered goals to Fleury's goal. First, Panarin returned the favor to Kreider, giving him a pass, and then again threw himself, as if sending the puck into an empty net from the middle of the ice. Panarin took his heart out on the former team.
I must say, “Chicago” was frankly unlucky to get under the rink called “Rangers”, because “New York” is now clearly in good shape. The team won their seventh consecutive victory and lost only one in the last 12 matches. Now “New York” has got close to the leader of their division – “Washington”, lagging behind him by only one point.
I got into the company of the best
500 points in the NHL is an achievement that only really cool hockey players can do. It took Panarin less than 457 matches – and according to this indicator, he became the 49th in the history of the NHL. However, among the current players, only four reached 500 points at such a speed: Conor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, Alexander Ovechkin and Evgeny Malkin. Artemy is in great company, isn't that so?
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By the way, Panarin scored his first point while in Chicago uniform – it was the first match of the 2015/16 season with the Rangers. Now, the once-up-and-coming Blackhawks rookie Russian has surpassed the 500-point mark as New York's leader in a match against his former team: a very symbolic coincidence.