from Larry Brooks of the New York Post,

There was no telling Chris Kreider or Mika Zibanejad that the young Rangers had overachieved by advancing as far as the conference final. There was no telling them that the future appears bright.

Because the 31-year-old Kreider had waited seven years to get back to this very spot. Because the 29-year-old Zibanejad had never been here before. The future is never guaranteed.

There was no consoling the disconsolate pair following the Rangers’ 2-1 defeat to the Lightning in Saturday’s Game 6 that ended the ride that had begun in October. The pain Zibanejad and Kreider shared at the dais was palpable.

Think back to the shattered room in Los Angeles in the immediate aftermath of the 2014 defeat in the Stanley Cup Final to the Kings and you’ve got the picture.

“Empty,” said Kreider.

“I’m just denying it,” said Zibanejad.

There is no denying that the Rangers took a quantum leap this year, even though much of the progress was built on the brilliance of Igor Shesterkin. The 26-year-netminder honored his Hart- and Vezina-finalist season throughout this series and throughout this game in which the Blueshirts would have been blown out if not for his work. Let’s face it. This was a 5-1 or 6-1 game.

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