SUNRISE, Fla. — Alexi Lafreniere knows better than most what it’s like to struggle under pressure.
That’s what made Sunday, this playoff run and this entire season, such a transformative moment for the former No. 1 overall pick, who now wears the title with a flourish that wasn’t there a year ago.
In a new twist in the conference finals, the Rangers won Game 3, 5-4, in overtime to take a 2-1 series lead, but Lafreniere was at the heart of it all as the Rangers looked on the back foot for much of the afternoon.
The Panthers led 83-37 on five-on-five shots, reflecting how things were on the ice throughout the game, forcing the Rangers to rely on individual talent to score.
Lafreniere provided it in droves, scoring two goals, including an end-to-end finish that will likely be the highlight of his career.
“He’s obviously a great player,” said Vincent Trocheck, who made the pass that led to Lafrinar’s first goal. “He makes plays like that.” [first goal]and you know he can do that.
“The second, I didn’t even know what he could do. He was dancing.”
For anyone following the Rangers this season, Lafreniere’s breakout has already happened.
He scored 28 goals in the regular season, eclipsing his previous career high as he ran off with a chance at a top-six finish that manager Gerard Gallant never gave him.
The Post follows Rangers coverage in the NHL playoffs
“Just by training hard [last] “I just spent the summer trying to improve my skating a little bit and make my own plays,” Lafreniere said of the source of the confidence that’s evident every time he puts the puck on his stick. “Making plays. Obviously. [Artemi Panarin] And Torok has been very helpful.”
There’s not much new here, at least in that sense.
But in a bigger sense, will Lafreniere be viewed as the franchise’s talisman going forward, as someone who can be trusted in these arenas to play long stretches of big time minutes?
Well, this playoff run will at least be impressive confirmation.
“He’s still young,” Trocheck told The Post. “Last year he didn’t have many opportunities. More opportunities means more confidence. His confidence was definitely there last year, and I think he’s taken another step forward this year.”
“Having the confidence of your coach definitely gives you confidence, but certainly, accomplishments help.”
New York once seemed too big a stage for the quiet Quebecois, but not anymore.
The same goes for these conference finals.
He made them his own.
