Marian Gaborik will take the ice at the Garden for Game 3 of these Stanley Cup finals Monday night for the first time since he was traded away by the Rangers last April, and Gaborik — who scored the game-tying goal in the third period of the Kings’ 5-4 double-overtime victory in Game 2 Saturday night — is looking forward to it.
“Yeah, that gives you [an] extra jump,” Gaborik said Sunday afternoon. “It’s my first time coming back to the Garden after I got traded.
“I’m going to see the Garden after all the renovations for the first time, as well. They have great fans, [and] they’re going to be supporting [the Rangers]. We’re going to come out hard.”
Gaborik was productive for the Rangers, scoring 40 goals twice in his three-plus seasons with the team. But after scoring nine goals in 35 games for the Blueshirts during the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season, he was shipped to Columbus in a deadline-day deal for three players playing for the Rangers in these Cup finals: Derek Dorsett, Derick Brassard and John Moore.
But less than a year after being traded for the first time in his career, Gaborik was on the move again in March, when the Kings acquired him from the Blue Jackets.
The move has paid off far beyond what even the Kings could have hoped for, as Gaborik has contributed a playoff-leading 13 goals during the Kings’ run to the finals, including the game-tying goal in the third period of the Kings’ 5-4 overtime win over the Blackhawks in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals.
“Well, obviously it’s nice to be up there,” Gaborik said of being atop the NHL’s goalscoring chart this postseason. “But, you know, it’s a team game and I’m grateful to be in my first final [after] as many years as I was in the league.
“Playing the Rangers makes it a little more special. They’re a good team, balanced team, as I mentioned before. Obviously, you know, the coaching change for them seemed to help. So, you know, like I said, coming to the Garden will be special. We definitely want to have a better start, hopefully start with the lead.”