WATCH: Rangers' Chris Kreider makes young fan's day by gifting him his match stick

By Ankit Kumar

Modified May 19, 2024 16:50 GMT

New York Rangers star Chris Kreider made a young fan's day by gifting him his game stick. NHL shared a video of the heartwarming moment on its X account, with the caption:

"Chris Kreider: A class act through and through."

In the clip, Kreider skates off the ice, waving to fans, and then shakes hands with a young fan, likely around 5-6 years old. The young fan, dressed in a Carolina Hurricanes jersey, was beaming as Kreider handed over his stick.

This act of kindness was special because the Rangers had just defeated the Hurricanes 4-2 in a best-of-seven series to advance to the next round. The stick Kreider gifted was the one he used to score a hat trick in the third period.

"That kid got a stick that was used in one of the greatest individual playoff performances you will ever see. I think it's awesome he even wanted it, let alone Kreider giving it. That is hockey!" A fan wrote on Reddit about the gesture.

Chris Kreider's hat trick helps Rangers to 5-3 win

New York Rangers left wing Chris Kreider scored a hat trick during the third period in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference second round. It helped the team secure a 5-3 comeback win against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Chris Kreider's hat-trick also helped the Rangers win the Eastern Conference final. Before the third period, Kreider predicted he would score. He exceeded expectations by netting three goals in 8:58, allowing the Rangers to bounce back from a two-goal deficit.

Teammate Barclay Goodrow praised Kreider for his performance:

"Before the third period started, he said, 'I know I'm going to get one here.' And then he goes out and gets three. He's clutch. He comes up big every time."

Chris Kreider's goals, all scored from close range, lifted the team’s spirits and showcased his clutch abilities. His efforts put him alongside Rangers legends Mark Messier and Wayne Gretzky, who also scored three goals in a single period during playoff games.

Rangers forward Artemi Panarin also, commended Kreider:

"He showed who he is tonight."

Meanwhile, Rangers' captain Jacob Trouba talked about him being 'The Horse.'

"He took over the game," Trouba said. "He's shown the ability to do that at times. A lot of guys in here call him The Horse, and that's what he is. He took off in that third period and took over the game for us."

Despite speculation about his availability due to missing practice for maintenance, Chris Kreider played and saved the day for the Rangers.