NYR News

First Period:

Second Period:

• Frank Vatrano (16) Assists: Chris Kreider (21), Mika Zibanejad (45)
• Artemi Panarin (20) Assists: Jacob Trouba (25), Andrew Copp (29)

Third Period:

• Dryden Hunt (5) Assists: Mika Zibanejad (46)

Three Stars:

• 3: Artemi Panarin
• 2: Frank Vatrano
• 1: Igor Shesterkin

Stats:

Adam Rotter:

• Well, no questions about Igor Shesterkin after tonight. He was terrific, made some big saves and backstopped the Rangers to a shutout.
• This was another solid game for the Rangers. It was a little more even than the prior two games, more like the first game against the Pens this season, and certainly the kind of game and style you could see these two teams play in the playoffs.
• Artemi Panarin’s game has gone back to the level he was at when he was a Hart Trophy candidate two seasons ago. He’s never stopped putting up points, but he just looks so much sharper lately and fired a terrific backhander to score tonight. His game is certainly coming on at the best time and he and Andrew Copp are working well together.
• Things were starting to get testy in the third period and that will only boil over when/if they meet in the playoffs.
• It has become more of an “if” lately because Carolina has been sliding and, at the moment, the Rangers are tied for first place, but the Hurricanes have a game in hand and just took the lead on Buffalo the Rangers are only two points back. They also play twice more at MSG before the season ends. Going to first place may not be that great for the Rangers because, at the moment, they would see Tampa Bay in the first round. The Rangers did beat Tampa and Tampa has been struggling, but if any team will turn it on when the playoffs start, it will be the two-time defending champs. There is also the chance that Washington, six points behind the Pens, but with two games in hand, might be able to slide into the three spot.
• Next up is Ottawa on Saturday, another test against a team far below them in the standings, and, more importantly, the likely chance that the Rangers clinch their first playoff berth since 2017.