Mika Zibanejad And The Rangers Came Out FIRING In An Opening Night Revenge Win Over The Mighty Lightning

Bruce Bennett. Getty Images.

Blowing a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals is a bummer and a regular-season victory won't fully eradicate that pain, but hey, new season, new club, new vibes from Madison Square Garden in Tuesday's NHL Opening Night showdown. The New York Rangers outshot the three-time defending conference champion Lightning 39-26, and won 3-1 thanks in large part to two goals from Mika Zibanejad.

Talk about starting the season off in style…this roofed backhand from the short side by Zibby was just stupid — especially since it was shorthanded!

Doesn't Tampa Bay know better than to leave Zibanejad open for a one-timer with the man advantage? Ha. The Bolts' lapse is the Blueshirts' gain!

Just to give you an idea of the type of history Zibanejad made with his hot start:

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To get two pucks past an all-world goalie like Andrei Vasilevskiy is no small feat. New York was held to one goal in each of its previous three defeats against the Lightning. What a way to respond tonight!!

Zibanejad damn near had a backdoor hattie, by the way:

Not a bad eve for sports in the Big Apple overall. Yankees beat the shit out of the Guardians, and the Rangers pick up a "W" over the adversary that dashed their hopes of a dream run to the Stanley Cup last postseason.

I know the Rangers fans love themselves some Igor Shesterkin, as do I, but one point of feedback: Maybe chill the fuck out with this chant! Don't y'all remember how that turned out in the playoffs!? Just saying.

Twitter @MattFitz_gerald/TikTok