Rangers' Mika Zibanejad impresses with five-goal night in critical win against Capitals

Sam Ficarro

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Rangers' Mika Zibanejad impresses with five-goal night in critical win against Capitals image

In a night where Alex Ovechkin scored twice, Mika Zibanejad stole the show at the Garden.

With his team fighting for a playoff spot, the New York Rangers forward put his team on his shoulders Thursday night and scored five goals, including the game-winning goal in a 6-5 overtime victory over the Washington Capitals.

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Zibanejad capped the night with the game-winner 33 seconds into the extra frame on a partial breakaway after receiving a pinpoint feed from Artemi Panarin to seal the historical performance.

The Swede joins exclusive company becoming just the third Ranger to net five goals in the franchise's 93-year history joining Don Murdoch (1976) and Mark Pavelich (1983). He also became the first NHL player to score five goals and the game-winning goal in overtime since the Red Wings' Sergei Fedorov on Dec. 26, 1996 — also against the Washington Capitals.

MORE: NHL History of five-goal games

Zibanejad's career night also displayed a full array of ways to score: deflection, slapshot, snapshot, rebound and backhand.

His teammates surprised him once he entered the dressing room:

And head coach David Quinn summarized the night perfectly.

New York needed Zibanejad to step up in the absence of Chris Kreider as he recovers from a fractured foot. He now has 38 goals on the season pulling himself within nine goals of Boston Bruins forward David Pastrnak for the Rocket Richard lead.

MORE: Rocket Richard Trophy leaders

The win also supplied much-needed points for the Rangers as they pull within two of the New York Islanders for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

Sam Ficarro