How David Quinn is pacing the Rangers for opening night

The roster cuts, preseason games and multiple-practice days are over. Now the Rangers’ countdown to opening night Thursday against the Predators is beginning to seem real.

“I feel rested, not having to run two practices,” coach David Quinn said with a grin after practice Saturday. “It’s just a much more calming, concise day. We feel good about where we’re at. Guys continue to work really hard. It’s a good group, a really good group.”

The Rangers have been through plenty of changes since the puck last dropped in a regular-season game at the Garden, from their head coach to the roster makeup, making these final practices even more useful.

“I think this week is very important for us to set a lot of new things for us, the way we play and the way we want to see ourselves as a group and a team,” Henrik Lundqvist said. “I always enjoy this week, the week before the storm.”

With a week between the preseason finale and opening night, Quinn has a plan for how to keep his players sharp, with more up-tempo and physical practices like Saturday’s becoming the norm.

“Continuing to create practices with a game-like mentality and demand what we’re doing at a game-like pace,” Quinn said. “To me, that’s our responsibility to create those practices, so when the game starts, you’re not turning a switch on. That’s kind of how we’re going to do it all year.”

After getting a maintenance day and not skating Friday, left winger Mats Zuccarello was back on the ice Saturday on a line with Kevin Hayes and Jimmy Vesey.

“I always knew [Zuccarello] is a good player, I’m even more impressed with his hockey sense and his stick skills,” Quinn said. “For a guy his size, he gets an awful lot accomplished out there. Obviously in the situation we’re in, we need every veteran to be to the best of their ability.”

Filip Chytil showed off the skill that makes him an exciting piece of the Rangers’ future during a 2-on-2 drill Saturday, flying down the ice with a defender on him and spinning around before sneaking a backhander past Lundqvist.