Explosive second period lifts New York Rangers over Red Wings
The New York Rangers have found different ways to win over since the beginning of the season. While the defense has led the way on most nights, it was a four-goal second period Tuesday against the Red Wings that propelled New York to a 5-3 victory at Madison Square Garden.
Four different Rangers scored, including two from Vincent Trochek. Artemi Panarin and Chris Kreider had a goal and an assist each, while Erik Gustaffson had two helpers.
The win extended the Rangers’ point streak to eight games (7-0-1), and 9-2-1 overall.
“I thought it was a really good win,” coach Peter Laviolette noted. “It was a little frustrating in the third period… We can fix that. Overall, we came out with the right attitude and the right pace to put the game where we wanted it from the start.”
Related: Quick makes first home start
New York Rangers 5 vs Detroit Red Wings 3
Trochek opened the scoring with a beautiful wrist shot just 1:40 into the contest when his wrist shot from the bottom of the circle beat Ville Husso up top.
“Last couple of games we got away from our defensive game,” Trocheck said on the TNT postgame show. “To come out here tonight and play like we did, it was a good response.”
Things stayed that way until midway through the second period when Detroit took penalties and the Rangers’ lethal power play needed just 40 seconds over two man advantages to balloon their lead to three.
Kreider got a piece of a Gustaffson wrist shot at 7:31 to double the home team’s advantage. Panarin picked up an assist on the goal to extended his point streak to 12, two shy of Rod Gilbert’s franchise record to open a season.
Trochek’s second came just 44 seconds after Kreider’s to make it 3-0.
Panarin made it 4-0 off a feed from Alexis Lafreniere at 11:21, thus extending his personal point scoring streak to 12 games to start the 2023-24 campaign.
Will Cuylle potted his second goal in as many games when he redirected a Zac Jones shot with 5:50 left to play in the stanza.
The Rangers, who were without Adam Fox and Filip Chytil for the second straight game, took their foot off the gas much like they did in Saturday’s 5-4 overtime loss to Minnesota. Detroit scored three goals in the final period, including two in 20 seconds, to make things interesting.
Despite the third period flurry, the Rangers didn’t allow the Red Wings much of anything over the opening two periods. Any chances were thwarted by Jonathan Quick, who made the start for the injured Igor Shesterkin. He was sharp, especially early, and finished with 26 saves to improve to 3-1.
“Any start where you get two points — you’re just tryign to get wins and climb the standings,” said Quick, who made his first start at The Garden as a Ranger. “That’s what every team is trying to do. We’re the same.”
While the pair of power play goals was crucial, the bigger ingredient was New York’s perfect penalty kill. It went 6-for-6, including a 5-on-3 in the second period. It entered the night 10th in the NHL, and surely will creep up further following a stellar night.
Next up for New York is a rematch Thursday with a Wild team who has give the Rangers their only blemish in nearly a month.
Rangers Notes
- Jonathan Quick stopped 25 of 28 for his first win at MSG
- Artemi Panarin has amassed 20 points (7 goals, 13 assists) during this 12 game streak
- Chris Kreider notched his team leading 9th goal, with 6 on the PP
- Mika Zibanejad passed Steve Vickers for 9th in team history for PP points (169)
- Rangers now have 14 PPG on the season, good for 3rd in the NHL
The Blueshirts will practice tomorrow at 12:00 p.m. ET.
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