Projected lineup: Chris Kreider believes Rangers are getting closer to 'no-doubter' hockey

TARRYTOWN - No player in the Rangers’ locker room takes the one-game-at-a-time cliché as seriously as Chris Kreider, but that doesn’t mean the laser-focused forward can’t see the big picture.

A veteran of 107 career playoff games, he knows accomplishing the ultimate goal of ending New York's 30-year Stanley Cup drought will require achieving a higher level of consistency.

The objective, as described by the Blueshirts' longest-tenured player, is to make each game "a no-doubter."

What exactly does that mean? Allow No. 20 to explain.

"You're doing such a good job and controlling the things that you can control that, regardless if a call doesn't go your way, maybe the officiating doesn't go your way, the bounces don't go your way – this and that – you still give yourself the best opportunity to win the hockey game," he told lohud.com, part of the USA TODAY Network, following Tuesday's practice at the MSG Training Center.

"Don’t leave it up to chance."

Too often in recent weeks − and in recent seasons − the first-place Rangers have fallen short of that high standard.

Even in the midst of the franchise's resurgence that began a few seasons ago, Kreider recalled games in which they got away with being out-shot, out-possessed or outworked. Goaltending bailed them out on many occasions, particularly during Igor Shesterkin's 2021-22 Vezina Trophy-winning campaign, while other notable wins came via dramatic comebacks after digging themselves into a hole.

What he and the Blueshirts are striving for now is a more complete brand of hockey − a collective approach that doesn't overemphasize any one individual or unit, but applies constant pressure on opponents and earns a decided advantage by consistently winning the scoring chance battle.

"It allows you to be flexible," the 32-year-old explained. "It doesn't matter who you're playing; you can play any type of game. We talk about limiting odd-man rush chances and trying to drive possession and make the other team play in their own zone."

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It starts with reducing the turnovers and costly mistakes that create quick-strike opportunities in transition, which Kreider referred to as "the best scoring chance in hockey."

The Rangers must regularly earn more of those than their opponents if they plan on a deep postseason run.

"If you're just giving the other team odd-man rush chances, every team's got good players who are going to find the back of the net," said Kreider, who's quietly on pace to challenge his career high in points (77) with 45 (23 goals and 22 assists) through 50 games. "You're asking a lot of your goaltenders. Conversely, if you're making the other team play defense in their own end, they’re going to get tired, they're going to have breakdowns, they're going to chip pucks out and you’re going to be able to regroup quickly and generate offense and wear them down."

Despite its midseason skid, which saw New York go 12-12-2 leading into the NHL all-star break, Kreider contends that they've made positive strides in those departments.

The Rangers outshot their opponents in 21 of those 26 games and had the edge in high-danger scoring chances in 16 of them, according to Natural Stat Trick. They held them to fewer than 30 shots on goal in 11 of 14 games played in January and often won the possession battle, fueling internal belief that they're not as far off as their record may have indicated during their extended slide.

Dips in save percentage (.885 as a team during those 26 games), shooting percentage (9.6%, compared to 11.43% through the first 23 games) and power-play conversion rate (24.7%, compared to 30%) − aspects of the game that often run hot and cold − help explain why the end results haven't been there. But if the Blueshirts continue to out-chance the opposition and get even a slight uptick in any of those slumping categories, they believe their fortunes will turn.

"I don’t want to make excuses because we're in the business of winning, but there were a lot of games that we played where we weren't winning (but) we outdid the opponent by everything that gives you a basis on how you want to win games," head coach Peter Laviolette said. "Are you generating quality chances? Are you're not letting up quality chances? Are you dominating zone time? Are you playing the game that you want to play?"

In Kreider's eyes, those answers have been mostly affirmative.

"There were games we lost in January where we were doing that, but a little impatience, a small breakdown here, and the other team gets a really high-danger chance going the other way," he said. "I’ve felt like at times, there's one step back to take two steps forward. It’s just sticking with the process of trusting that it’s the right way to play and that we're going to have success from playing this way."

Will the Rangers be better off for having gone through this rough patch? And will the lessons learned help them take further steps toward establishing the possession-oriented, defensively-structured identity they'll need to go from a good team to a great one?

We're going to find out in the coming months, but we know that Kreider is as driven as any to see it through in pursuit of the one team achievement that's eluded the 12-year veteran.

"I think that stretch has forced us to improve and try to play more of that no-doubter style of hockey," he said. "(Blake Wheeler) said it best – you go through the fire, it makes you better.”

NY Rangers (31-16-3) projected lineup: Game 51 vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (27-18-5)

When: Wednesday, Feb. 7 at 7 p.m.

Where: Madison Square Garden

TV/Radio: TNT and MAX/98.7 FM

Forwards

Top line ⊳ Chris Kreider (LW) ⋄ Mika Zibanejad (C) ⋄ Blake Wheeler (RW)

Second line ⊳ Artemi Panarin (LW) ⋄ Vincent Trocheck (C) ⋄ Alexis Lafrenière (RW)

Third line ⊳ Will Cuylle (LW) ⋄ Jonny Brodzinski (C) ⋄ Kaapo Kakko (RW)

Fourth line ⊳ Jimmy Vesey (LW) ⋄ Barclay Goodrow (C) ⋄ Tyler Pitlick (RW)

Defensemen

Top pair ⊳ K'Andre Miller (L) ⋄ Jacob Trouba (R)

Second pair ⊳ Ryan Lindgren (L) ⋄ Adam Fox (R)

Third pair ⊳ Erik Gustafsson (L) ⋄ Braden Schneider (R)

Goalies

Starter ⊳ Igor Shesterkin

Backup ⊳ Jonathan Quick

Long-term injured reserve: F Filip Chytil (upper body)

Healthy scratch: D Zac Jones and F Jake Leschyshyn

Vincent Z. Mercogliano is the New York Rangers beat reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Read more of his work at lohud.com/sports/rangers/ and follow him on Twitter @vzmercogliano.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Projected lineup: Chris Kreider, Rangers aim for 'no-doubter' hockey