There’s a reason the Rangers coaching staff pointed to Carl Hagelin, in his first year in the NHL, but with an unceasing tenacity, to be the template to follow.
Hagelin was electric last night as the Rangers beat the Capitals, 2-1, in Game 7 of their Eastern Conference semifinal at Madison Square Garden, earning them their first conference finals matchup since 1997, this one against the cross-river rival Devils.
“Hags doesn’t end up with many points. I think he had a couple tonight though. He has been very good this series as far as chasing down pucks,” coach John Tortorella said of Hagelin’s two assists. “I thought that was key tonight.”
It started in the first period, when Hagelin forechecked with reckless abandon and beat numerous Capitals down the ice on every occasion. After a quick first shift, Tortorella sent Hagelin’s line, with Brad Ricahrds and Marian Gaborik, right back out, and it was well worth it.
The instant Hagelin got on the ice, he chased down a puck behind the Capitals net and fed it in front to Richards, who buried a one-timer just inside the far post to make it 1-0 on the Rangers’ first shot, 1:32 into the game.
“It was a set breakout there,” Hagelin said. “I kind of skated into the puck and I saw Richie open for the one-timer and just gave him the puck and it was a perfect shot.”
The tone was set, the fans were out of their seats cheering and waving their white towels, and the Rangers took hold of the momentum that they rarely would relinquish.
“We’ve talked about trying to shoot the puck right away, not hesitating,” Tortorella said. “[The Capitals] block shots so very well, we needed to get more shots through and first goal of the game is a very important goal.”
Hagelin, 23, originally is from Sweden but played four years of college hockey at Michigan. When he made his NHL debut with the Rangers on Nov. 25 in Washington, he immediately impressed with his speed — which was even more evident last night on the soft Garden ice.
“Yea, legs were good,” Hagelin said. “I think the whole team was doing a good job skating and getting on pucks. Richie and Gabby are playing really well right now so it makes it easy for me.”
That was the place on the top line that Chris Kreider took in Game 3 of the opening round against the Senators when Hagelin was suspended for three games after concussing Daniel Alfredsson with an elbow to the head. Tortorella and his staff told Kreider to focus on how Hagelin “hounded pucks,” and it was the relentless attitude that now has Hagelin and the Rangers one step closer to the Stanley Cup.
“It’s unreal,” Hagelin said. “It’s what you dream about: Playing Game 7, MSG, and winning Game 7. It’s hard to describe, and it’s obviously an amazing feeling.”