The New York Rangers narrowly swept the Montreal Canadiens – despite never leading the game – with a 4-3 shootout win at the Bell Center on Thursday night.
Patrick Kane scored his first goal for the club and Artemi Panarin kept New York in the game with three assists. Igor Shesterkin made 23 saves on 26 shots on goal, and the Rangers blocked 24 shots as a team to help their Vezina-winning goaltender.
Kaidan Goulet scored a goal and an assist as he returned to action after a two-game absence, while Josh Anderson and Alex Belzil scored two other goals for the Canadiens that evening. Samuel Montembo stopped 30 shots with several desperate saves to keep the game going.
Kane aboard the Rangers
Patrick Kane finally scored his first goal for his new team in his third game since arriving from the Chicago Blackhawks last week. leading.
The 34-year-old also made an assist on Jacob Truba’s second-period marker to earn his first point as a Ranger. With a goal and an assist, Kane scored 47 points for the season.
Rangers defense needs to be improved
New York waived force majeure on Thursday night, resulting in two goals conceded and a host of dangerous scoring chances.
The Rangers defenders were constantly trapped on the ice, which gave the opponents the freedom to attack in large numbers.
A team with much more firepower than the Canadiens could have easily burned the Rangers that night, so it will be interesting to see if they decide this in the future.
Stay hot Belzil
Alex Belzil scored for the third consecutive game to bring his season and career tally to four. The 31-year-old decided to shoot in the 2-on-1 game, scoring the Canadiens’ second goal of the night in the opening frame.
A career minor leaguer, Belzil seized on the opportunity presented to him by Montreal’s injury-riddled roster, carving out a fourth-string role and adding a much-needed, albeit unlikely, offensive hit to the roster.
Panarin joined the elite company
Per NHL public relationsPanarin became only the third undrafted player in NHL history to score a seventh season of 70 points in his first eight seasons, joining hockey icons Wayne Gretzky and Peter Stastny.
Gretzky, of course, was never drafted because he signed with the Indianapolis Racers of the World Hockey Association at 17 before joining the Edmonton Oilers in the NHL. Stastny is known to have defected from Czechoslovakia in 1980 to join the Quebec Nordiques, eventually having a 15-year career in the Hall of Fame.
Panarin also became the eighth undrafted player in league history to score seven 70-point seasons, and the first since Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis accomplished the feat in 2011-2012.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
