Mika Zibanejad scores twice in Rangers’ 6-2 rout of Panthers
NEW YORK (AP) — Mika Zibanejad scored twice and Igor Shesterkin stopped 33 pictures because the New York Rangers beat the Florida Panthers 6-2 on Monday night time.
Adam Fox had a aim and two assists, and Jimmy Vesey, Alexis Lafreniere and Filip Chytil additionally scored for the Rangers, who’re 15-4-2 since Dec. 5 and 5-0-1 of their final six dwelling video games towards Florida. Artemi Panarin had three assists.
Carter Verhaeghe and Aleksander Barkov scored for the Panthers, who had gained 4 of their earlier 5 and are 7-3-1 since Jan. 1, when the Rangers gained the earlier assembly 5-3 in Florida.
Shesterkin had seven saves within the first, 14 within the second and 12 within the third to enhance to 11-4-3 in his final 18 begins and 21-8-6 general this season.
The 27-year-old Russian simply missed scoring when the Panthers pulled goaltender Alex Lyon with greater than 5 minutes left, down by three targets. Sheskterin’s full-rink try missed broad left by mere inches.
Fox opened the scoring along with his tenth aim at 3:03 of the primary, bursting previous the Panthers’ protection earlier than sliding the puck previous Lyon. Fox has factors in 32 of New York’s 47 video games this season.
Verhaeghe tied it on the ability play at 5:56 along with his twenty third, giving the Panthers targets with the person benefit for the fourth straight sport and 7 of the final eight.
Zibanejad put the Rangers forward with 2:39 left within the first on the ability play, one-timing a cross from Panarin previous Lyon from his patented spot within the left circle. Fox had an help on the play, giving him a multi-point effort for the third time in six video games. The Rangers are 11-0-0 when Fox data a number of factors.
Vesey made it 3-1 at 15:03 of the second along with his eighth.
Lafreniere scored for the primary time in 18 video games at 7:56 of the third earlier than Zibanejad scored once more — his team-leading twenty second — at 8:10 to make it 5-1.
Barkov pulled the Panthers inside three at 11:02 of the third along with his thirteenth earlier than Chytil accomplished the scoring with an empty-net aim with 3:11 remaining.
Panarin, who leads the Rangers with 50 factors, prolonged his factors streak towards the Panthers to 12 video games.
STAAL RETURNS
Former Rangers defenseman Marc Staal performed his first sport with the Panthers at Madison Sq. Backyard after two seasons with Detroit. Staal, who was traded to the Crimson Wings in September 2020, performed 892 video games over 13 seasons in New York and skated within the second-most playoff video games (107) in Rangers historical past.
UP NEXT
Panthers: At Pittsburgh on Tuesday night time.
Rangers: At Toronto on Wednesday night time.