WASHINGTON – Rangers forward Artemi Panarin grinned Friday when asked about booing from the crowd when he touched the puck at Capital One Arena during Game 3 of their first-round series against the Capitals. Ta.
“got used to [being booed] It’s from Columbus,” Panarin joked Saturday after the Rangers’ optional practice at the arena.
He was referring to Blue Jackets fans booing him when he returned to Columbus, since he left the Blue Jackets to sign with the Rangers as a free agent in 2019.
But this was something else entirely. Washington fans booed Panarin for his hit on forward TJ Oshie in Game 2, which many deemed dirty. Officials considered whether the blow would constitute a serious penalty as a blow to the head, but it was determined that it did not constitute a penalty.
Panarin said little about Saturday's hit.
“I’m just playing hockey,” he said.
The hit seemed to pay off some of the physical play Oshie put into defeating Panarin during the match. At one point, Oshie was shoved into Panarin's face with a stick, his eye shield was cut off, and he was slammed onto the ice, without making a report. On another occasion, Oshie grabbed Panarin by the neck from behind during a scrum.
Oshie himself had no problem with Panarin's hitting.
“Personally, I thought Panarin hit the ball well,” Oshie said in an on-camera interview with TNT before Game 3. I think that's what you should call it when punching through someone's body. Of course, sometimes I get hit in the head by accident, but I like that style of play. ”
Panarin was asked what he thought about Oshie's remarks.
“I mean, okay?” he said.
With the Rangers leading 3-0 in the series and a chance to get a shutout in Sunday's Game 4, the Rangers head to the Eastern Conference with two seven-game series and 20 playoff games in 40 days. Panarin was asked afterward: If it was important for the Rangers to win Sunday and get some rest, it was in the finals two years ago.
“I will definitely do my best to win tomorrow. [but we’re] “I never think about what happened two years ago,” he said. “Yeah. If I get the chance, I'll definitely follow through.”
