Rangers take down Capitals 4-2 with solid performance as possible DeAngelo trade draws near

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Artemi Panarin
Feb 4, 2021; New York, NY, USA; New York Rangers left wing Artemi Panarin (10) and center Ryan Strome (16) and right wing Kaapo Kakko (24) celebrate after a goal by Strome against the Washington Capitals at 7:55 of the third period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Bennett/Pool Photo-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Rangers have now won two games in a row and have picked up 7 out of 8 points. Igor Shesterkin put in a rock solid performance turning aside 31 of 33 shots. On offense, Artemi Panarin picked up three helpers with Ryan Strome scoring twice.

David Quinn’s squad is now 4-4-2 on the season with 10 points. The team is experiencing success as a possible DeAngelo trade to the Flames draws near.

Red-Hot Artemi Panarin

Artemi Panarin now has 15 points in 10 games and in his last 4 games, he’s scored 3 goals and 6 assists for 9 points. Pretty impressive.

Panarin got the offense going by moving the puck up to Adam Fox whose wrister was deflected by Ryan Strome for a 1-0 lead. The Rangers leading scorer worked a tic-tac-toe with Strome for his second helper of the night to give them a 3-1 edge in the third.

Panarin would pick up his third assist when Pavel Buchnevich buried the empty net goal. Mika Zibanejad picked up a helper as well and that breaks a long pointless streak for the struggling star.

rangers capitals
Bruce Bennett/Pool Photo-USA TODAY Sports

Magical Goal for a Long Island native

Island Park, NY native Anthony Bitetto wowed the at-home audience and his teammates by scoring a beauty. The 30 year-old defenseman took control of the puck and described it as a “blackout moment” and a “magical” goal.

Bitetto was thankful that the Caps didn’t challenge the goal. Oddly enough, his last three were disallowed. It was his first goal in three years.

The Czar was on again!

Igor Shesterkin is looking really confident and you could see the way he was tracking and playing the puck. “I think this might have been my best game of the season so far,” he said after the game. “I’m looking ahead and hopefully will continue in this direction.”

The 25 year-old backstop was on the ball and it took a fluky goal by Carl Hagelin to break the shutout. An Alex Ovechkin snipe was the other goal, but Shesterkin ultimately won the battle when it was over.

Flames and Rangers have talked trade

Larry Brooks is reporting tonight that the Calgary Flames and New York Rangers have talked trade. A potential Sam Bennett for Tony DeAngelo swap could be in the cards.

Read more here.

Post Game Notes:

  • The Rangers have earned a win in two consecutive games for the first time this season.
  • The Blueshirts have extended their point streak to four games (3-0-1 record over the span) and have earned at least one point in four consecutive games for the first time this season.
  • Tonight’s game was the third contest in a stretch of seven consecutive scheduled home games for the Rangers. New York has posted a 2-0-1 record through the first three contests of the stretch.
  • New York was 4-for-4 (8:00) on the penalty kill in tonight’s contest and held Washington to only six shots on goal over the Capitals’ four power play opportunities. 
  • The Rangers earned their 100th all-time regular season win against the Capitals in tonight’s game.
  • Ryan Strome tied a single-game career-high with two goals, registered the first goal of the game, and posted a plus-one rating. He was selected as the game’s First Star. He extended his point streak to four games (three goals, two assists over the span), and he has also notched a point in five of the last six games (four goals, two assists in the six contests).
  • Igor Shesterkin made 31 saves to earn his third consecutive win and his third win of the 2020-21 season. He was selected as the game’s Second Star. Shesterkin has stopped 79 of 84 shots over his three-game winning streak (.940 SV%).
  • Artemi Panarin tallied three assists and led the Rangers with five shots on goal. He was selected as the game’s Third Star. 

Post Game Notes courtesy NYR

NYR Schedule:

Rangers will hold practice tomorrow, 12:00 p.m. at MSG Training Center. They will then have a day off on Saturday 2/6. (Their game against the NJ Devils was postponed).

Their next practice will be on Sunday, 2/7 at the MSG Training Center schedule for 11 a.m.

Next Game: Monday, Feb. 8 vs. NY Islanders (7:00 p.m. ET – TV: MSG Network

By Anthony Scultore

Anthony Scultore is the founder of Forever Blueshirts and has been covering the New York Rangers and the NHL... More about Anthony Scultore

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