SUNRISE, Fla. — The Rangers have defined themselves every day since the middle of September but now they are obligated to do it again. A season full of hugs, unity and belief have brought them to this moment of truth. 

It is all on the line for the Presidents’ Trophy winners and it is all on the line for this core of Blueshirts who have been together for up to five seasons, have not quite been able to make it and would face a disquieting summer if they fall short (again). 

There is no need to doubt the Rangers’ character as they attempt to avoid extinction in Saturday’s Game 6. They revealed it repeatedly during their 114-point season. They revealed it with their Game 6 response in Raleigh after failing to clinch Round 2 in Game 4 in Carolina and Game 5 in New York. 

The Blueshirts will show up. 

But there is ample reason to doubt whether the Rangers can deter the Panthers, who have dominated each of the last three games of this series in which the scoreboard has often been an optical illusion. This is not a fluke. The Puddy Tats have been building toward this since their Presidents’ Trophy-winning 2021-22. 

Florida has been faster, bigger, stronger, deeper, meaner and more disciplined. They have controlled the pace. They have dominated possession time. They’ve played to postseason officiating standards. Over the last three games, the Rangers share of expected goals have been recorded at 30.81%, 26.53% and 30.96% beginning with Game 3. 

The scores of those games, respectively, were 4-3 for in overtime, 2-1 against in overtime and 3-2 against. This is a reminder that a superlative goaltender always can and always will have an undue influence on a series. It is a reminder that while we deservedly commemorate Mark Messier for his 1994 Game 6 “We’ll Win Tonight” declaration, it was Mike Richter who first rode to the rescue with perhaps the greatest money games of his career. 

It was of course The Captain who recorded the third period hat trick at the Meadowlands for the 4-2 victory that sent the epochal conference final back to the Garden and the waiting hands of Stephane Matteau. But it not for No. 35, it would have been 5-0 and over by the middle of the second period. That’s how dominant the Devils were for the first 35 minutes of the match. 

Yes, I do believe Igor Shesterkin — who is likely to become the NHL’s highest-paid goaltender on his contract extension that would begin in 2025-26 but should be negotiated this summer — can have a game like that one, I most certainly do. 

It’s been Shesterkin Against the World for about two-thirds of the series, anyway. 

3

The 1994 Battle of the Hudson is one of a kind. But the 2012 Black-and-Blueshirts won a potential elimination Game 6 in Ottawa after falling behind 3-2 in the first round with a Game 5 defeat at the Garden. They advanced with a Game 7 triumph at home. The 2015 team won a potential elimination Game 6 in Tampa Bay after falling behind 3-2 in the conference final with a Game 5 defeat at MSG. They then lost Game 7 at home. 

The Panthers won the Presidents’ Trophy two years ago and were swept in Round 2 by the Lightning. They squeezed into the playoffs as the eighth seed last year and reached the final. They are attempting to become the first losing finalist to make it back since the 2009 Penguins were able to avenge their previous year’s defeat to Detroit. In order words, the Panthers are legit in every sense. 

It is going to take the Rangers’ best in this one and it’s going to take more than the Rangers best. It’s going to take a village. Head coach Peter Laviolette is going to have to trust his bench the way he did not in Game 5. It’s not just that the coach decided early he couldn’t play Matt Rempe, he pretty much nailed Will Cuylle and Barclay Goodrow to the bench, too. It did not make much sense. 

Fact is, the Rangers have seven players averaging at least 20:00 of ice time per match. That’s the most among the conference finalists. Edmonton has six, Dallas has five and Florida has four. Vincent Trocheck, at 23:05 per, is about 1:30 over his regular-season allotment. Mika Zibanejad, averaging 21:25, is up about 1:40 per. They’re going up against bigger, stronger matches every night. Of course they are wearing down. 

3

The Blueshirts line up with a distinct disadvantage pertaining to size and strength. They were pounded and softened up across the first three games. They have had all sorts of trouble getting to the inside and crashing the net. Cuylle is built for this. He’ll get to the front. But Cuylle got on the ice for only 4:27 the first two periods. Goodrow was on for 2:55 in the third. What? 

That has to change. There is no time to wait. It’s the most magic Messier two words in sports. 

It’s Game 6. 

The moment of truth has arrived.