Hartnett: Healthy And Motivated, Nash Is Performing Like A Leader

By Sean Hartnett
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The Rangers needed a spark on Tuesday night and winger Rick Nash provided it in a big way.

Contained by the visiting Carolina Hurricanes and trailing 2-1 at the start of the third period, the Rangers weren't playing with pace and Madison Square Garden had fallen unusually silent. Nash then put his team on his back, scoring the tying goal and recording the primary assist on Jimmy Vesey's game-winning goal.

"He decided we weren't going to lose tonight," alternate captain Marc Staal said of Nash following the Rangers' 3-2 victory. "He led the way. They didn't have an answer for him."

Nash brought fans out of their seats just seconds into the third. He started a solo rush from the defensive end and raced past three Hurricanes before beating goaltender Cam Ward with a backhander. His strong effort 14 minutes later pulled Ward out of position and created a big rebound for Vesey to finish. Head coach Alain Vigneault and teammates saluted Nash for his game-changing effort.

"There's no doubt that Rick tonight was the leader of this team by his play," Vigneault said. "He made some great defensive plays, obviously that first shift in the third where he tied it up for us and then made that great play on the power play. He played the type of game that we needed against a tough opponent."

"He was a force out there – for sure," captain Ryan McDonagh added. "That's something that sets an example for everybody. He definitely got everybody going on the offensive side there, rushing the puck, really backing off their defensemen and allowing us to play in the offensive zone. It was a great sign for him to come through on a big stage."

Nash, who is now 32, has rekindled his energy after missing 22 regular season games last season due to a back injury and a deep left leg bone bruise. He's moving the puck swiftly, making plays to spring attacks and to sustain offensive zone time. The 6-foot-4 winger is also using his strength and playing with conviction when he crashes the net. He's nearly impossible to contain when he's at the top of his game. Just ask Henrik Lundqvist.

"I love watching him just taking pucks to the net," Lundqvist said. "He's so strong and he skates really well. When he decides to go to the net, not a lot of guys can stop him, his reach and his strength. He was close a couple of other times as well. It's great for us to see Rick playing like that with confidence and just the way he moves the puck and himself out there. He had a really strong game."

With goal-getters Mika Zibanejad and Pavel Buchnevich injured, Nash realizes his role is to drive play and be a leader. That's why Vigneault affixed a permanent alternate captain's "A" on Nash's jersey on the eve of the 2016-17 season.

"I think when you're a leader and you're expected to be one of the top players, you try to do that every night," Nash said. "Some nights it's there, some nights it's not. Some nights you try to help defensively. But I know that's part of my game, that I have to help these guys and lift them when things aren't going right."

Through 24 games, Nash has collected 16 points, including 10 goals. He's on pace for his typical production of 34 goals. Youngsters like Vesey said they are looking to No. 61 as an example to follow.

"I sit next to (Nash) in the locker room and played several games with him this year now," Vesey said. "He's got 400 goals in almost 1,000 games, so I think he's a really big mentor for me and I'm trying to observe him as much I can."

Nash entered training camp with the mentality that his job wasn't guaranteed following an injury-riddled, suboptimal 15-goal season.

"Especially after the year I had last year, I have to show I belong on this team," he said in late September.

With his motivation and skill on display for all to see and his health cooperating, Nash is playing to his star label and $7.8 million price tag. There's no doubt about it.

Follow Sean on Twitter at @HartnettHockey