Rangers finally seeing the light at end of their identity crisis

DENVER — The Rangers’ identity, which steadily evaporated until it was completely lost earlier this season, has begun to reshape at an opportune time. Just as the team stacked two wins together for the first time since mid-November, in order to make it four victories in their past six games, the Blueshirts appear to be nearing full strength as they prepare to face a relatively hot Avalanche team on Tuesday night at Ball Arena. Filip Chytil and Chris Kreider were full participants in practice on Monday, taking line rushes and power-play reps as if they were ready to return to the Rangers lineup from their respective upper-body injuries. Head coach Peter Laviolette wouldn’t confirm, but all signs pointed to both forwards being available, whether on Tuesday or in the very near future. While Chytil has only missed the past two games, the Rangers have gone 3-0-1 with Chris Kreider on injured reserve.Adding the two regulars back into the lineup should only benefit the team’s push to get back on track. “I feel like we had a little bit of an identity crisis earlier this year,” K’Andre Miller told The Post after practice Monday at Joy Burns Arena at the University of Denver.

“I think we’ve started to build on what we can do and what we can do well and kind of identify ourselves as. “There’s a new level of compete and belief within the room.I think guys are willing to take that next step to kind of get over the hump and I think everyone is pulling just a little bit extra weight the last couple of games.

Ever since we got back from break, there’s kind of a new vibe in the locker room.” With the Rangers’ top six remaining the same, Kreider and Chytil were slotted onto the third line with newcomer Arthur Kaliyev. And since the first power-play unit — featuring Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, Vincent Trocheck, Alexis Lafreniere and Adam Fox — has collected four goals in the past three games, Laviolette opted to keep that intact, as well.�...