Plenty has been said since Thursday’s 3-2 loss in Game 5 to the Panthers. Does this team have the gumption to go into Sunrise later tonight and win an elimination game the way the 1994 Rangers did in the same round?

It’s 30 years later. There’s no Mark Messier to back up a guarantee the way he did on May 27, 1994. The captain posted a natural hat trick in the third period of Game 6 to stun the Devils 4-2 at the Meadowlands. That was a lifetime ago.

It’s the last time the Rangers won the Stanley Cup. They, too, won the Presidents’ Trophy. They still had to stare down playoff extinction. Falling behind 2-0, they were a goalpost away from losing that memorable series in six games.

Instead, Messier dropped a pass for Alexei Kovalev, who scored late in the second period. Then came the fateful third when Messier took over. He tied the game by beating Martin Brodeur on a backhand. Then, he slammed home a rebound of a Kovalev shot to put the Rangers ahead. Following a timeout by Devils coach Jacques Lemaire, Messier fired the puck down and scored into an empty net to complete the legendary hat trick.

The Rangers still needed double overtime  before Stephane Matteau banked in a wrap-around off Slava Fetisov to give them a dramatic 2-1 win in Game 7. They defeated the Canucks in another nerve racking seventh game to win the franchise’s fourth Cup.

There are questions surrounding the current Rangers who fell behind the Panthers 3-2 following Game 5. Does this core have the guts to stave off elimination on the road? Can they respond to the challenge? If so, which player will lead them?

“We look at it as an opportunity… Winning the Stanley Cup is not supposed to be easy, and it’s these kind of moments that really form a team into a team that can become a championship team,” Vincent Trocheck told reporters regarding the pressure his team faces.

Trocheck’s been the most consistent Rangers skater in the series. His five points lead them in scoring against the Panthers. Linemate Alexis Lafreniere has four goals entering tonight’s match. He’s been very noticeable throughout due to his explosive speed and skill. Barclay Goodrow has three goals, including an overtime winner in Game 2.

In order for them to win, the Blueshirts need their best players to step up. In Thursday’s 3-2 loss, Chris Kreider scored a shorthanded goal for his first point of the series. Mika Zibanejad set it up. He also picked up his first point. Both would add helpers on a Lafreniere goal with 49 seconds left. There’s no doubt that both need to produce more in Game 6.

Artemi Panarin remains without a goal in the Eastern Conference Final. Bottled up by the checking of the Panthers, he’s found it tough to find time and space. They’ve marked him a lot by having three players surround him. Panarin more than anyone must fight through to make a difference. Three assists isn’t enough. He needs to score. There were opportunities last game. He missed on a one-timer off a set play.

In many ways, this feels like a legacy game for Panarin. He was good against the Hurricanes, scoring twice and adding six assists. Both goals were game-winners. That included the overtime winner in Game 3. There’s no doubt that he’s found it hard to get shots through against the stingy Panthers. They’ve blocked their share of shots. Panarin’s also missed wide.

If he wants to change the narrative that he isn’t a playoff performer, tonight would be a good start. He had a career high 49 goals during the regular season. So far, he has only four in the postseason. None over the last eight games. Panarin will be under the microscope.

Zibanejad faces similar scrutiny. He’s been the biggest disappointment in the series. While it’s true that going up against Aleksander Barkov is no easy task, he needs to be better. His struggles both at even strength and on the power play have hurt the Rangers. His one-timer from the left circle hasn’t been up to par.

Some of his decisions with the puck haven’t helped. In the first minute of overtime in Game 4, it was his bad pass that handcuffed Blake Wheeler, causing a breakaway for Barkov. Wheeler was forced to take a penalty. The Panthers won it on a Sam Reinhart power-play goal.

Speaking of the power play, with it firing blanks, might Peter Laviolette decide to finally give Lafreniere a look on the top unit? He’s been their hottest player. If he was put on it, you could make the argument for Zibanejad to come off. He hasn’t been effective. There’s nothing wrong with shifting him to the second unit. It could create better balance.

One of the issues Laviolette faces is what to do with his lineup. Filip Chytil hasn’t had enough of an impact to unlock Zibanejad and Kreider. They were a little better in Game 5. However, Chytil also saw some shifts on the fourth line. Laviolette tried both Jack Roslovic and Will Cuylle. Nothing has worked.

Roslovic was ineffective playing with Alex Wennberg and Kaapo Kakko. Cuylle is a better choice to play on the third line. He brings size, strength, and speed. Maybe Roslovic doesn’t fit for this series.

What about Matt Rempe? He got four shifts for a total of 2:43 of ice time on Thursday. Hardly enough to have an impact. Does he come out of the lineup? If so, is it for Wheeler or Jonny Brodzinski? Brodzinski is the better skater. He had some chemistry with Goodrow and Jimmy Vesey.  Vesey is week-to-week with an upper-body injury suffered on a Ryan Lomberg hit in Game 2.

The defense won’t change. Adam Fox has looked a bit better in the last two games. He’s making better plays with the puck. Defensively, it’s been a struggle due to his lower-body injury. Ryan Lindgren has been steady and the warrior we expect.

I’d imagine Laviolette will keep Braden Schneider with K’Andre Miller. They were better. Jacob Trouba played with Erik Gustafsson, who really struggled. Does Laviolette have the guts to  bench him for Zac Jones in the biggest game of the season?

The Rangers are still around thanks to Igor Shesterkin. He’ll need to be at his best to have any chance of reaching a Game 7. Think Mike Richter. Shesterkin has been brilliant. But he can’t do it alone.

It’ll take full effort from all 18 skaters to get a win in Florida. Heart and guts. We’ll see what they’re made of.