WATCH: Vincent Trocheck trolls Hurricanes star in latest Rangers playoff victory
Not only has Vincent Trocheck been one of the New York Rangers best players in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, he’s quite the entertaining super-pest, as well. He’s wearing out opponents with his skill, will and motor mouth — a true hat trick if there ever was one.
In fact, ESPN or TNT or Sportsnet needs to get Trocheck mic’d up on game broadcasts ASAP, even if much of the best material would be bleeped out anyway.
During the Rangers’ 3-2 overtime win in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Second Round against the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday, Trocheck struck again with another classic viral moment.
Trocheck absorbed a hit from Carolina’s Sebastian Aho just as he made a touch pass to Artemi Panarin speeding into the Hurricanes zone. The Rangers center was knocked down, but Panarin threaded a neat pass to Alexis Lafreniere, who’s one-timer beat Carolina goalie Pyotr Kochetkov to give New York a 2-1 lead at 6:25 of the third period.
Before going to celebrate with Lafreniere and Co., Trocheck spins to face his former Hurricanes teammate and trolls him about the go-ahead goal despite Aho’s best efforts to stop it.
Yet another classic moment in these playoffs for the player who’s become the Rangers heartbeat.
Related: Hurricanes coach baffled after losing to Rangers in Game 3
Vincent Trocheck doing it all for Rangers in Stanley Cup Playoffs
In Game 2 at Madison Square Garden, Trocheck had a running dialogue with Jake Guentzel. The highlight was when Trocheck laughed and gave Guentzel a thumbs up after the Carolina forward was ushered to the penalty box after punching Adam Fox thus negating a Hurricanes power play with his minor penalty for roughing in the second period.
Guentzel did score two goals in that game, but the Rangers won on Trocheck’s goal at 7:24 of double overtime. So, we know who got the last laugh.
Trocheck had his spicy moments during the first-round series sweep against the Washington Capitals, but he’s amped up his role as villain in this series against the Hurricanes, for whom he played from 2020-22. In fact, he was with the Hurricanes when they lost in the second round to the Rangers in the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
And he’s clearly enjoying being on the other end of the rivalry now, especially with the Rangers up 3-0 and a chance to close out another sweep Saturday in Raleigh.
But there’s more to Trocheck than simply being an annoying piece of work on the ice. He is producing, including making the pass to Panarin for the OT winner on Thursday.
Trocheck is tied with teammate Mika Zibanejad and two others for the second most points in the playoffs (12), one behind Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid. Trocheck has five goals and seven assists, including two helpers in Game 3 when his five-game goal streak ended. He has a point in all seven postseason games and leads the Rangers, and all NHL forwards, averaging 23:59 in ice time.
Quite simply, Trocheck is doing it all for the Rangers, who are on the verge of reaching the Eastern Conference Final for the second time in three seasons.
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