There wasn’t a moment during the Rangers’ 3-2 overtime win over the Wild on Monday night that you didn’t know where Mats Zuccarello was.
In his first appearance at Madison Square Garden since getting traded to Dallas before the trade deadline last season, Zuccarello was graciously welcomed back to New York. From the heartfelt cheers that echoed as the Rangers’ former fan favorite was one of the last skaters on the ice for warm-ups, to the vibrating ‘ZUUUUUC’ chant that followed the call for him to take the ceremonial puck drop at center ice.
Not to mention the booming chorus of his name from the stands when he skated back to Minnesota’s bench after embracing his teammate of 5 ½ seasons, Jesper Fast, at center ice.