Alexis Lafreniere scored twice, Igor Shesterkin delivered another stellar performance, and the New York Rangers tied their longest winning streak in eight seasons with a 5-1 victory over the rival New Jersey Devils on Thursday night.
The Rangers extended their winning streak to nine games, but they only wanted to talk about their penalty kill.
“I think we never really let them get set. After the first five-minute kill, we had confidence in our kill, the way we were pressuring and taking away time and space,” Rangers center Mika Zibanejad said. “That was great.”
The initial kill set the tone for the game, and Zibanejad scored on a power play minutes later, giving the Rangers an early lead they never relinquished.
“Our PK had slipped the last couple of games, and we wanted to do a good job tonight,” Rangers captain Jacob Trouba said. “We focused more on the details and how we want to kill penalties. Our power play will get a couple if our PK does well.”
Chris Kreider and Vincent Trocheck also scored for New York, and Artemi Panarin added three assists. Shesterkin made five of his 39 saves during a major penalty kill and picked up his first assist of the season. The Rangers are one win away from tying their longest winning streak in franchise history.
The Rangers previously won 10 straight twice, in the 1972-73 and 1939-40 seasons, with the latter resulting in New York’s third Stanley Cup title.
Jack Hughes ended Shesterkin’s bid for a shutout with 2:07 left to play. Nico Daws made 13 saves for New Jersey, which lost its second straight game and third in four outings.
“We had so many opportunities on the power play but couldn’t capitalize,” Devils captain Nico Hischier said. “We need to be sharper. We’ll work on it, flush this game, and move on.”
The loss was disappointing at home, where Rangers fans made it feel like Madison Square Garden.
“We need to regroup,” Hughes said. “We have to digest tonight’s game and then change our attitude, truly believing in ourselves, and not just talking about it but actually doing it.”
Zibanejad’s 19th season goal came just five seconds after Curtis Lazar was called for slashing Shesterkin.
Lafreniere doubled the lead with 2:04 left in the first period, capitalizing on a turnover by New Jersey defenseman Luke Hughes with both teams playing 4-on-4.
Kreider scored on a counterattack in the second period, set up by Shesterkin’s pass from his crease to Panarin at the Devils’ blue line. Lafreniere added his second goal on a breakaway set up by Trocheck, who scored late in the third on Panarin’s final assist.
UP NEXT
- Rangers: Visit Philadelphia on Saturday.
- Devils: Host Montreal on Saturday.
