It’s time for Chris Kreider to put the Carey Price incident behind him and unleashes the beast within
Kredier NYR (Scott Levy / Getty Images)
Chris Kreider returned to practice today after missing Monday’s 4-3 win against Pittsburgh due to neck spams. The injury happened at practice on Sunday, when he collided into Carl Hagelin. Maybe the jolt is what the doctor ordered for CK20 as he hasn’t scored a goal in 11 consecutive games.
So what’s the deal with Kreider? Confidence is certainly an issue but he simply isn’t going to the front often enough or using his speed to drive the net with reckless abandon. Matter of fact, I’m starting to wonder if all the negative and derogatory comments about him being a goalie killer haven’t taken their toll.
[su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JI6b6OBj1Ig”]
Of the three clips above, maybe the one on Marc Andre Fleury was avoidable – maybe. However, the incident with Carey Price – mostly because it was the Eastern Conference Final and it caused an injury, had the worse press. If you listen closely to the commentary, you can hear the announcer say, “Chris Kreider has shown, that he’s not afraid at all to head for the net.
Well, maybe today he is. Of course, I don’t think it’s something he’s doing consciously, but maybe in the recesses of his mind, he’s afraid that any collision with a goalie will only result in a penalty and a further worsening of his reputation.
Kreider only has 4 goals this season. Oddly enough, his first goal in the season’s first game was vintage CK20 blasting to the net with speed. Since then, anything but.
His second goal, was a PP tally off a rebound to the side of the net, about 6 feet out.
On Kreider’s third tally, again on the power play, he deflected it home from about 15′ in front.
Finally, Chris scored his last goal on 11/8, when he took position in front of the net and tipped a shot home.
So, of the 4 goals he’s netted, only 1 was vintage Kreids barring down on a goalie. Matter of fact, I can’t think of many other instances where he drove to the net at full speed. Has the incident with Carey Price embedded itself that deep into Kreider’s psyche?
While I may be speculating, his play on the ice hasn’t done much to provide evidence otherwise. It’s time for Chris Kreider to “put on his big boy pants” as his head coach would say, and drive the net with a daredevil attitude.
Who cares what the fans in Montreal think or any other team for that matter. Right now, fans of the Rangers are starting to wonder if he should be scratched. Right now, is time for Chris Kreider to get on his horse and make his speed and presence known.
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