This post is brought to you by the number 5.
Here is what the New York Rangers have been able to accomplish over the last week:
-- A five-game winning streak.
-- At least five goals scored in each of their last five games.
-- On Sunday against the Winnipeg Jets, the Rangers had five different goal scorers -- Kevin Hayes, Mats Zuccarello, J.T. Miller, Jesper Fast and Pavel Buchnevich -- in a 5-2 win.
During this streak, they’ve been completely dominant against their opponents.
The @NYRangers have outscored their opponents 26-8 during their five-game winning streak, scoring at least five goals in each contest. pic.twitter.com/Yia7oIfPW6
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) November 7, 2016
The biggest thing behind the Rangers success is just how productive but balanced their attack has been. Last week, we discussed the rebound of Rick Nash so far this season.
But the Rangers, leading the league with 55 goals for in 13 games, have six players already in double digits in points and five more players with nine points. They’re getting contributions from throughout their lineup.
Nash isn’t the only player who has re-discovered a scoring touch.
Michael Grabner had difficulty scoring for the past four seasons, but he’s already up to seven goals with the Rangers, when he couldn’t even hit 10 in each of the previous two campaigns, which he spent in Toronto and with the New York Islanders.
After all the ink Jimmy Vesey received the past year -- from electing not to sign in Nashville, to a trade to Buffalo, to not signing in Buffalo, to the Vesey summer sweepstakes, to eventually signing with the Rangers -- the reigning Hobey Baker Award winner has so far backed up the hype with 10 points in his first 13 NHL games.
In the long run, this pace very likely isn’t sustainable.
In the short-term, however, it’s definitely possible this streak continues. The Rangers host the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday.
And by now we all know about the struggles of the Canucks, coming off that ugly loss in Toronto on Saturday.