New York Post

Chytil, 18, wins it for Rangers

- By LARRY BROOKS

Eighteen years and 16 days old, Filip Chytil is oozing talent. You could tell that even before his lightning one-timer from the right doorstep off Mats Zuccarello’s cross-ice power-play feed with 3.5 seconds remaining in overtime gave the Rangers a 4-3 exhibition victory over the Devils at the Garden on Wednesday.

“He’s really skilled. You can see that in practice every day, the way he moves the puck and sees the ice,” said Zuccarello, who then added 19year-old, seventh-overall selection Lias Andersson into the conversati­on. “These two first-rounders are really impressive.

“Lias is more of a hard-working two-way player. Chytil is highly skilled and can make plays no one else can do. I think we are very lucky to have both, when their time comes.”

Can that time be now for Chytil? That seems unlikely, but the Rangers are sure not going to rush to judgement on the Czech center, who was born just 10 days before the Sept. 15, 1999, cutoff date for eligibilit­y for the 2017 draft and as such was one of the youngest players selected in Chicago.

Chytil, who skated on a line with Zuccarello and Chris Kreider, was bubbling over with excitement in the locker room after ending his first game action in a month since suffering a groin injury representi­ng his country in the Four Nations Tournament.

“It was an amazing feeling to score a goal in overtime. My first goal was a winning goal,” he said. “It felt great. I’m really happy.”

If it goes that far, the Blueshirts won’t have to make a decision on Chytil until he has played in nine regular-season games. That’s the max number of matches in which he can play before the first year of his entry-level deal kicks in.

Chytil would be eligible to play for AHL Hartford or OHL North Bay, but general manager Jeff Gorton told The Post if the teen does not stick with the Rangers, the plan likely would be for him to return to HC Zlin of the Czech League “where he is comfortabl­e.”

Henrik Lundqvist yielded two goals on 13 shots in 30:09 before yielding to Alexandar Georgiev. The King said he felt as comfortabl­e as expected. … Kreider, Kevin Hayes and David Desharnais scored the Blueshirts’ other three goals.

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