Zucc Celebrates: Mats Zuccarello is congratulated by Ryan McDonagh and Chris Kreider after his goal.
AP Photo by Bill Kostroun/Getty Images

To put it mildly, it’s been a struggle for Mats Zuccarello. The popular feisty Norwegian hasn’t produced consistently. Perhaps coach Alain Vigneault switching lines could be the boost he needs. Zuccarello broke a 10-game goal drought scoring a key insurance marker while setting up another in the Rangers’ 6-3 win over the Panthers at MSG.

”I can feel pressure from everyone around to score some goals, so obviously I’d like to score some more,” he said after his two-point effort gave the Rangers their second straight win.

For a second game in a row, it wasn’t pretty. A poor start allowed the Panthers to hop in front with Aleksander Barkov scoring 4:09 into the contest. Entering eight points behind the Rangers in the standings, Florida came out desperate. Their speed and forecheck gave our struggling defense fits.

In particular, the slumping tandem of Ryan McDonagh and Dan Girardi. Neither played well with McDonagh caught out of position frequently and Girardi forced to take two penalties due to poor positioning. It might be time for Vigneault to flip Girardi with Kevin Klein. Especially with Marc Staal delivering another big game. He scored a goal and was solid throughout.

As usual, Rick Nash was at his best scoring his team-leading 30th and 31st goals to tie Alexander Ovechkin for the league lead. The first was a beauty shorthanded. With Girardi off for tripping, Nash forced rookie Aaron Ekblad into a bad turnover at the blueline. He easily intercepted a loose puck and then broke in and beat Roberto Luongo with a nasty forehand deke and tuck tying the score. His fourth shorthanded goal tied him with Tyler Toffoli for the league lead.

Zuccarello drew a hooking minor early in the second. That led directly to him setting up rookie Kevin Hayes for his first NHL career power play goal. After Zuccarello took a McDonagh feed, he dished across for a wide open Hayes who buried his seventh at 2:51. He hasn’t gotten much power play time but Vigneault trusted him and it paid off.

Jesper Fast also had a strong game. The improving rookie made a smart play in the neutral zone and then found an open Staal for a wrist shot that deflected off Sean Bergenheim to make it 3-1 at 9:28. Carl Hagelin drew the other helper.

Before they got comfortable, the Rangers had a mental lapse in the second part of the period. First, Staal lost his coverage on Dave Bolland, who was able to bank in a loose puck off a crossbar from Bergenheim and Jussi Jokinen. The fourth line failed to clear the zone. Dan Boyle also was an adventure during that shift.

Less than three minutes later, the Panthers took advantage of another Girardi penalty. Bolland set up a wide open Brandon Pirri for a sweet finish in the slot. Brad Boyes netted the secondary assist.

Florida really controlled the play. If not for Henrik Lundqvist, they take the lead. Lundqvist was very strong finishing with 33 saves. That included some crucial ones in the third before his teammates picked up the slack.

Boyle got a reprieve when his harmless shot deflected off ex-King Willie Mitchell past Roberto Luongo to put the Rangers ahead for good with 11:50 left in regulation. It was Boyle’s second straight game with a goal. He has to produce because they didn’t sign him for his defense. He and partner John Moore have shifts that are worrisome. Arizona GM Don Maloney was in the building. It’ll be interesting to see if anything happens between him and Glen Sather. The Rangers and Coyotes have been frequent partners. Antoine Vermette and Martin Hanzal could be potential targets.

Even as the Panthers pressed for the equalizer, Lundqvist wouldn’t oblige. In what’s becoming a trademark, he made another ridiculous glove save. That part of his game has improved. He now sets players up. There’s no doubt he’s at the top of his game with the team not as steady in front of him. If they are to go anywhere, that has to change.

Vigneault again switched things up in the third. Zuccarello was the beneficiary of a nice Derick Brassard feed for a Chris Kreider shot that rebounded right to Zuccarello, who finally got off the snide to make it 5-3 with 4:02 remaining. A couple of minutes later, Nash broke away and scored into a vacated net to seal it.

”We are getting to that point in the season where we’ve got to be desperate for points,” the Hart Trophy candidate admitted. ”Playing in the third, we didn’t have as many turnovers as we did in the first two periods.”

”Even though they came back and they tied it up in the second period, when the game was on the line in the third, I thought we played our best period,” Vigneault added while joking that he wished Mitchell would’ve had a puck go off him during last year’s Stanley Cup Final.

The competition picks up with the Bruins visiting MSG Wednesday. That’ll be our first game since my birthday on 12/8. An exciting overtime win over the Pens. Speaking of which, the Rangers closed to within two points of second place with two extra games left. They’re two clear of the Caps for third with two at hand.

NY Puck 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Marc Staal, NYR (goal-3rd, 2 SOG, 2 blocked shots, +1 in 19:17-our best D since contract)

2nd Star-Rick Nash, NYR (2 goals-30th, 31st incl. 4th SHG-breathtaking)

1st Star-Mats Zuccarello, NYR (goal-8th, assist-3 points in last 2)