K’Andre Miller is the first to say his game starts in the defensive zone.
The 6-foot-5 23-year-old is there to eat up tough minutes, play against the opposing team’s top-six and play on the penalty kill.
“I think just trying to simplify my game, I think that’s the biggest thing,” Miller told reporters after the Rangers beat the Red Wings, 3-2, Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden. “I think everything else comes after that. Being reliable and making a good first pass and being good in the D-zone are my keys right now.”
Adam Fox, Miller is not.
So when the points are coming for Miller, as with his right-circle one-timer to tie the game against Detroit at 9:14 of the third period, it brings to mind something else Miller said after the win.
“I don’t think we’ve hit [our best] yet,” he said, referring to the Rangers. “I think we’re doing good things along the way. We’re doing a lot of little things the right way. Just don’t think we’ve played our best. I think there’s still more to come.”
It’s easy to forget since Miller’s career is 235 games old and he is in his fourth season in the league.
But the Wisconsin product does not turn 24 until January.
What he said about the 16-4-1 Rangers is likely also true of himself.
And that might be just as scary as the notion that the Blueshirts still have more to give.
“He’s playing really well,” Rangers coach Peter Laviolette told reporters. “He and Jacob [Trouba] have a tough go every night, they draw the best players. Their job is to defend them and make sure we take care of things on our end. They’re doing a great job of that, he’s done a great job. Troubs is a great partner for him because he’s a veteran and leader, he helps young players. I think it’s a really good pair.”
One in which Miller, with two goals in his last three games, is finding his sea legs in the offensive zone.
“Offensively, starting to see Key break through,” Laviolette said. “He’s up the ice, he’s involved with the play. At times he’s leading the attack, he’s charging up the middle with the puck. The goal he scored, timed it just being in the right position at the right place.”
That, of course, was no accident of circumstance between Miller and Mika Zibanejad, whose cross-ice feed hit Miller perfectly.
Said Zibanejad: “I lost the puck after a great play by [Chris Kreider] and then Troubs made a great play back to me. I got some time. Saw Key waiting on the far side. Figured I could maybe pull a guy or two to look my way and make a play on them. Obviously a great play by Key.”
Said Miller: “I just tried to find a little hole there in the high slot. Looked up at the goalie to see where he was before I shot. Try to put something on net.”
Said Jimmy Vesey, whose game-winner would put the Rangers over the top at 15:45 of the third: “Key and Mika stepped up and made a huge play. Think that started to turn the momentum for us.”
The Rangers as a result will head to Nashville on Saturday with the best record in the NHL in tow, the memories of a 5-1 loss on home ice to Buffalo wiped away.
And still Miller believes their best is yet to come.
“It’s an exciting time for this group,” he said.
It’s an exciting time, too, for Miller.
