Mika Zibanejad is off to a ridiculous start for the New York Rangers and his stellar first week is resulting in some national recognition.
New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad has been named the NHL’s first star of the week. He recorded four goals along with four assists in the team’s first two games of the season.
We always knew he was a ⭐️.
Congrats, @MikaZibanejad! pic.twitter.com/889eqelcuZ
— x – New York Rangers (@NYRangers) October 7, 2019
Both games resulted in wins as the Rangers defeated the Winnipeg Jets and the Ottawa Senators.
Zibanejad scored a goal and three assists in the team’s home opener win on Thursday. The center was also dominant on faceoffs winning 81.8% of the draws he took while accumulating 20:32 minutes of ice time.
The 26-year-old continued his scoring when he and the Rangers visited his former team, the Ottawa Senators, on Saturday night. Zibanejad scored the trifecta as he recorded an even-strength goal, a power-play goal, and a shorthanded goal for a hat trick.
The line of Zibanejad, Artemi Panarin and Pavel Buchnevich have combined for 15 points in the first two games of the season. Additionally, this line hasn’t been on the ice for a goal against so far this year.
The Rangers are off to a perfect start and Zibanejad has been the biggest reason why. Unfortunately, the Rangers have a long layoff after their first two games. They don’t play again until Saturday, Oct. 12 when they travel to Edmonton to take on the Oilers.
Anthony Mantha of the Detroit Red Wings was named the second star of the week. The right-wing scored five goals en route to seven points in his team’s first three games.
The third star of the week went to Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews who has racked up five goals in just three games.
