When they broke camp last September, the Rangers had a different mindset going into the season. A big reason for that is head coach Peter Laviolette. His experience behind the bench has made a big difference.

Unlike his predecessor, who frequently would panic by juggling his lines, Laviolette remained patient throughout the season.

Alexis Lafreniere didn’t have the best camp. He struggled in the preseason. Despite that, he remained with Artemi Panarin and Filip Chytil on the second line.  It might feel like years ago. But Chytil was the center of that line before a concussion against Carolina on Nov. 2 changed the plan.

It was in the Rangers’ first game of the season that Lafreniere scored the first goal. That was a good omen. He would form great chemistry with Panarin and eventually Vincent Trocheck, who replaced Chytil on the big line. The trio became one of the league’s best lines.

All three players set career highs in points. Panarin led the way with 49 goals, 71 assists, and 120 points. The second most points in franchise history, trailing only Jaromir Jagr, who had 123 in 2005-06.

Trocheck totaled 77 points (25-52-77) to surpass his previous best of 75. He became one of the league’s best on faceoffs by winning 58.7 percent. If the Rangers need a big draw won, they turn to Trocheck. He’s become the most important center on the team. Laviolette plays him big minutes, including on the penalty kill where he’s excelled with Barclay Goodrow.

Lafreniere had a breakout season by setting personal bests in goals (28), assists (29), and points (57). He did it without playing on the top power play unit. Most of the damage came at even strength. Of the 28 goals he scored, 26 were at even strength. Fifty-one of his 57 points also were at even strength.

In the recent second round series victory over the Hurricanes, Lafreniere had four goals. They all were at five-on-five. He was a key factor in the six-game win that sent the Rangers to the Conference Finals. Lafreniere finished with six points.

Linemates Panarin and Trocheck each tied for the team lead in the series with eight points. After a couple of quiet games, Panarin set up two goals in the Rangers’ 5-3 victory over the Hurricanes in Game 6. Trocheck made the key pass for a Panarin shot that Game 6 hero Chris Kreider redirected in to tie the score on the power play. Kreider would complete a natural hat trick with 4:19 left in the third period to stun the Canes.

The Rangers had trailed the Hurricanes 3-1 prior to the third. After Trocheck redirected a Panarin shot to pull them within one, Sebastian Aho converted on a breakaway to restore a two-goal lead halfway through the contest.

Jordan Martinook’s diving save prevented a Ryan Lindgren goal with over six minutes left. Jack Drury hit a goalpost.

Despite not getting much done during their shifts, the Rangers’ first line was kept together. That included Jack Roslovic. A key pickup by Rangers team president and general manager Chris Drury at the trade deadline from Columbus, he’d cooled off following a good start to his first postseason.

Roslovic was a culprit on the Canes’ tying goal scored by Jordan Staal in the third period of Game 5. He did a blow by in the neutral zone that led to Dmitry Orlov catching Mika Zibanejad in a change to send Staal past Braden Schneider for a backhand finish that set the wheels in motion for a storm surge. The Canes scored four straight goals to take Game 5 by a score of 4-1.

In the first two periods of Game 6, the Zibanejad line wasn’t a factor. Roslovic didn’t do much. To be honest, I felt that maybe he should be taken off the line. Instead, Laviolette remained patient. He didn’t break up any of his lines. With his team staring at possibly blowing a 3-0 series lead, the coach thought better of making any changes.

After the Canes hit another goalpost, Roslovic made a great hustle play to slip the puck to Zibanejad. He did a good job retrieving it and made a strong move. With Frederik Andersen a bit shaky, Zibanejad wisely threw a sharp angle shot at his feet that he gave up a rebound on. Kreider was able to stuff home a backhand that put the Rangers within 3-2.

That goal changed everything. Although the Hurricanes had a couple of more great chances to restore order, they weren’t the same team defensively. Jake Guentzel hit another goalpost. Then, Jordan Staal was robbed by Igor Shesterkin.

Staal would later get called for a dubious cross-checking minor when he shoved Zibanejad from behind. It was more boarding than a cross-check. Whatever the case, Kreider wound up tipping in a good Panarin shot to tie the score on the power play.

Once the game was tied, the Rangers dominated the play. They were more aggressive on the forecheck. It felt like a matter of time before they went ahead.

On a great shift from the Zibanejad line, they had the puck in the Hurricanes’ zone. They pinned in the Aho line with Orlov and Jalen Chatfield. Following a nice setup for a Zibanejad shot that just missed over the top, Roslovic retrieved the puck and then made a nice drop pass for a pinching Lindgren. He then came around the net and made a perfect pass for an easy put away from Kreider that completed his hat trick.

It was a great play by everyone involved. Roslovic made the key pass that led to the series clincher. He picked up two assists in the come from behind win that was sealed by a Barclay Goodrow empty netter.

Roslovic was effective in the first five games of the playoffs, recording a point in each win. After going without a point in four straight games, he came up big in the clutch. He’s up to two goals with five assists for seven points in the postseason.

Laviolette’s patience paid off. He never panicked. That approach has been a key factor in many of the Rangers’ comeback wins. It allows players to feel confident. He played all four lines in the biggest period of the season. It worked.

The Rangers know who their next opponent will be. The Panthers edged the Bruins 2-1 on a late goal from Gustav Forsling to defeat Boston in six games.

Florida is a very good team that features Matthew Tkachuk, Aleksander Barkov, Sam Reinhart, and a strong defense core led by Aaron Ekblad. Sergei Bobrovsky is a better goalie than what the Blueshirts faced in the first two rounds.

The Eastern Conference Finals begin next Wednesday at Madison Square Garden. That gives the Rangers time to prepare. It should be an exciting series.