Filip Chytil: The Rangers Rookie is flying on the top line

Chytil (Getty)

We knew it was coming. We just knew with the way he was playing that the floodgates were going to open and the goals would come and now they are. Starting with his power-play goal against the Vancouver Canucks just this past week, Filip Chytil hasn’t failed to score in a game. The 19-year-old Czech forward is starting to put it all together and that will only make the Rangers even more dangerous as the rest of this season continues.

 

Chytil clearly has been knocking on the door all season with the way he has played. There were some stretches where he looked a bit lost and being saddled to a player like Cody McLeod was not something that should’ve been done with the him but as Head Coach David Quinn said, it’s on him to find the right combination of forwards. It’s on him to get the prize rookie the minutes he needs to thrive and to his credit it seems he finally has.

 

So when was the exact moment that started this three-game stretch for Chytil? Quinn decided to put Chytil on the power-play with Mika Zibanejad, Chris Kreider, Vladislav Namestnikov and Neal Pionk. That grouping of five worked and Chytil beat Jacob Markstrom for his first goal of the season.

 

 

You can see the tension just leave Chytil’s body. He finally got the monkey off his back and boy, was that needed. You just know it wasn’t the best feeling for this kid going so many games without a goal. It takes a toll on a player’s psyche even if he was getting good chances. I was lucky enough to be at the Garden that night to see that goal in person and when I say the roof exploded, that’s an understatement. We all want this kid to succeed, we all want to see him do big things in this league and it was great to see the fanbase so happy for the kid. Chytil’s confidence got the spark it needed.

 

The Rangers and Islanders were set for a heated battle in the Barclays Center next and yes, the Rangers still haven’t won a game there since the Isles moved there from the Coliseum a few years ago but one of the bright spots of that 7-5 loss was Chytil finding the back of the net yet again.

 

 

This one, yet another power-play goal, was pretty sweet. The play Kevin Shattenkirk made at the blueline was great and Chytil wasted no time after that puck trickled to him and hammered it past the Islanders goaltender. That made two in two games for the young Czech and thankfully, the goal streak didn’t stop there. The Florida Panthers visited the Garden just two nights ago and Chytil would make his presence felt yet again.

 

 

Chytil bangs a Kevin Hayes feed past Roberto Luongo to open the scoring for the Rangers in a game they would go on to win 4-2. This goal was probably the most different from the bunch. Just a nice shot on net that managed to sneak by Luongo but hey not every goal is going to be of the highlight reel variety.

 

Can Chytil make it four in a row? It’s entirely possible. Since Coach Quinn moved him up to the top line with Mika Zibanejad and Vlad Namestnikov he has been an offensive dynamo for the team. He’s been generating chances, getting lots of shots on net and showing just how deadly of a player he can be.

 

Chytil and the Rangers take on the Dallas Stars tonight at the Garden! Lets Go Rangers!

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