First Period:
- Adam Fox (10) Assists: Artemi Panarin (36), Mika Zibanejad (27)
- Carter Verhaeghe (23) (Power Play) Assists: Anton Lundell (14), Eetu Luostarinen (12)
- Mika Zibanejad (21) (Power Play) Assists: Artemi Panarin (37), Adam Fox (37)
Second Period:
- Jimmy Vesey (8) Assists: Barclay Goodrow (13), Vincent Trocheck (19)
Third Period:
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- Alexis Lafreniere (6) Assists: Kaapo Kakko (12), Filip Chytil (13)
- Mika Zibanejad (22) Assists: Artemi Panarin (38), Adam Fox (38)
- Aleksander Barkov (13) Assists: Matthew Tkachuk (36), Brandon Montour (32)
- Filip Chytil (13) (Empty Net) Assists: Kaapo Kakko (13), Alexis Lafreniere (15)
Three Stars:
- 3: Adam Fox
- 2: Artemi Panarin
- 1: Mika Zibanejad
Stats:
- The score will make it look lopsided, but through the first two periods the Panthers had the puck most of the time. It wasn’t as one-sided as when the Rangers scored four goals on 18 shots and Igor Shesterkin stopped 42 of 45 to beat the Panthers last year, but the Rangers found a way to grab the lead behind a really strong game from Shesterkin, score on some opportunities and pick up two points.
- For one night, at least, the new lines looked really good. Each of the top three lines got a goal and flashed what they are capable of.
- The Rangers three best offensive players were all involved in three of the goals. Adam Fox had a goal and two assists, Mika Zibanejad had two goals and an assist and Artemi Panarin had three assists. We know how that trio can work if they get any room on the PP, like they did tonight, but if they can find some space at even strength, like they did on the second Zibanejad goal, the Rangers could find another gear offensively.
- All you can do is hope that banging in that rebound at the net will give Alexis Lafreniere some level of confidence and spark some more offense. He looked comfortable back with Kaapo Kakko and Filip Chytil and had a pretty good game. He needs something to build on and hopefully this was it.
- I know he was signed to center Artemi Panarin and the second line, but it really seems like the best version of the Rangers has Vincent Trocheck centering a straight-ahead, checking, physical, forechecking match-up line. Him, Goodrow, and Vesey are technically the third line but they can score as well. I’d love to see Chris Kreider back in that spot, with Goodrow or Vesey moving up to the top line, because that would make it more of a second line and potentially a big matchup advantage, but I think Kreider is likely going to stick on one side of Mika Zibanejad.
- Next up is what should be a really good test against the Leafs on Wednesday and then Vegas on Friday before the All-Star break.