Panarin leads surging Rangers to 7-1 win over Blackhawks
CHICAGO, IL - DECEMBER 18: New York Rangers Center Mika Zibanejad (93) and Chicago Blackhawks Center Jason Dickinson (17) in action during a game between the New York Rangers and the Chicago Blackhawks on December 18, 2022 at the United Center in Chi
CHICAGO - Artemi Panarin had a goal and two assists, Igor Shesterkin stopped 29 shots and the New York Rangers beat the Chicago Blackhawks 7-1 on Sunday night for their seventh straight win.
Vincent Trocheck, Filip Chytil and Kappo Kakko each had a goal and an assist, and Vitali Kravtsov, Braden Schneider and Jacob Trouba also scored for the Rangers. Adam Fox had three assists, and Alexis Lafreniere and Mika Zibanejad each had two.
Philipp Kurashev scored for Chicago and Arvid Soderblom finished with 19 saves.
The Rangers have not lost since a 5-2 defeat at home to the Blackhawks on Dec. 3. Chicago has lost seven straight since then and is 1-14-1 since mid-November.
Chytil, Panarin and Kakko scored on consecutive shots in a 5:59 span to make it 3-0 late in the first period. Chytil scored his eighth with 6:56 left, Panarin got his eighth with 3:05 remaining and Kakko added his eighth with 57 seconds to go.
Kurashev got the Blackhawks on the scoreboard at 1:33 of the second with a shot that deflected off Trouba’s stick and in for his fourth.
Trouba scored his second nine minutes later to restore the Rangers’ three-goal lead and Trocheck converted on a power play for his 11th with 16 seconds remaining in the period to make it 5-1.
Kravtsov’s second of the season on a breakaway made it 6-1 at 8:56 of the third. Chicago defenseman Caleb Jones, pursuing Kravtsov on the play, dove after the Rangers’ forward and ended up sliding into Soderblom. The goalie was shaken up but remained in the game.
Schneider capped the scoring with his fifth with 6:23 left.
STATS
The Rangers have outscored opponents 33-14 during their winning streak. ... Panarin has 18 points in his last 13 games, while Trocheck had 10 points in his last seven. Chytil has six points in six games since coming back from a lower-body injury. He was checked hard by Sam Lafferty early in the second period and did not return.
SELECT COMPANY
Shesterkin improved his road record to 9-0-1, becoming the 11th goalie in NHL history to open a season with points in his first 10 road games.
TOEWS-KANE MILESTONE
Blackhawks forwards Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane were in the starting lineup to mark their 1,000th game together, the 11th such pair in NHL history to reach the milestone. Chicago is 530-347-123 in those games. If they stay with the team, they could match defensive pair Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith, in the same lineup for 1,069 games early next season. However, Toews and Kane are both in the last year of $10.5 million contracts and it’s possible one or both could ask for a trade to a contending team.
UP NEXT
New York: At Pittsburgh on Tuesday night.
Chicago: Host Nashville on Wednesday night.