#Rangers’ Pavel Buchnevich credits success to comfort level

“#Rangers’ Pavel Buchnevich credits success to comfort level”

July 22, 2020 | 11:27pm

In the final six weeks before the regular season was suspended in March, Rangers forward Pavel Buchnevich was playing some of the best hockey of his career.

The Russian winger was riding a seven-game point streak — including a game-tying goal in the last minute to force overtime in the Rangers’ final game against the Avalanche on March 11. He had accumulated seven goals and 12 assists in the last 18 games of the regular season.

Buchnevich, who said a “minor injury” caused his absence from practice over the weekend, finished the shortened regular season five goals away from tying his career-high of 21. However, he dished out 30 assists, a new personal best.

“I just think it’s getting older and getting more experience,” Buchnevich, 25, said on a Zoom call with reporters following practice Wednesday. “I’m more focused, I don’t know, it’s probably from experience. I know my role.”

Buchnevich’s role is a spot on the first line, with Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad. Next to offensive-minded players like Kreider and Zibanejad, Buchnevich was able to flourish.

But it took some time for Buchnevich to get to where he is now after a spotty 2018-19 season with new coach David Quinn.

“I think there’s more of a trust factor from his end of it with our staff, I think he’s more comfortable, I think he understands how highly we think of him,” Quinn said. “I think he understands that everything we’re asking him to do is in his best interest, which in turn is in our best interest. I think it’s just the natural evolution of a career.

“I think this guy has been highly talented, he’s been a great player for a long time, I think he went through some growing pains in the National Hockey League that a lot of guys go through,” he added. “I give him a lot of credit, he’s a lot of fun to be around. He’s very coachable right now and he wants to please and he wants to win. We wouldn’t be here without him.”

Rookie goaltender Igor Shesterkin continues to see a bulk of the first-string reps during training camp 2.0, while Henrik Lundqvist and Alexandar Georgiev share a net more often.

However, Quinn isn’t quite ready to name the goalie who will start against the Hurricanes on Aug. 1.

“No it doesn’t mean [I’ve made a decision],” Quinn said of Shesterkin taking more solo reps. “Igor did have a full net today, we’ll probably move that around. It’s not easy, it’s a complicated dynamic when you’ve got three and you’re trying to give everybody shots. We’re all evaluating.”

Vinni Lettieri made his first appearance in a regular practice with the main group of Rangers. The undrafted center out of Minnesota was an extra skater along with Libor Hajek, K’Andre Miller and Brendan Lemieux, who the team is preparing to be without for the first two qualifying-round games due to a suspension.