It was a small moment early in the first period Saturday, around nine seconds before the Rangers scored their first goal in their win over the Kraken, but it captured an underlying factor in Mika Zibanejad’s start to the season.

In the Seattle zone, Zibanejad tried to pin defenseman Ryker Evans and jammed Evans’ stick into the air, causing enough havoc on the forecheck to force a long pass to the opposite corner — where Gabe Perreault collected possession. Two passes and one rebound later, Zibanejad, with a pair of Kraken defensemen closing in, sent a pass to Perreault, creating a goal that helped the Blueshirts take a lead just 95 seconds into the game.

The change of possession on the forecheck, leading to Zibanejad’s latest assist from near the corner, marked the latest example of how the 16-year veteran has changed his game.

“There’s no question” Zibanejad is playing with more physicality, head coach Mike Sullivan said last month.