Rangers score six goals in first period, rout Predators
K'Andre Miller #79 of the New York Rangers celebrates his second goal of the first period against the Nashville Predators with teammate Niko Mikkola #77 at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, Mar. 19, 2023 in New York City. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Two games, 13 goals scored, two shutouts. What a weekend it was for the Rangers, who won back-to-back games at Madison Square Garden in blowout fashion, routing the Nashville Predators, 7-0, on Sunday night after beating the Pittsburgh Penguins, 6-0, on Saturday night.
The Rangers scored six goals in the first period on Sunday, which tied a franchise record for most goals in an opening period and was last accomplished in December 1999 against the Los Angeles Kings.
K’Andre Miller had two goals and two assists in the first period, becoming the first defenseman in Rangers history to record four points in a single period. Filip Chytil, Mika Zibanejad, Tyler Motte and Artemi Panarin also scored in the first period for the Rangers (41-19-10), who won their fourth straight game and sixth in the last seven (6-0-1).
“Pretty cool,’’ Miller said of his achievement. “Quite literally, it felt like everything I touched somehow found the back of the net at the end of the play, so I wish every game was like that. But no, it’s fun. It was a fun first period and a fun game.’’
Backup goaltender Jaroslav Halak was the beneficiary of all that offense, making 22 saves to earn his first shutout as a Ranger and the 53rd of his career. It was Halak’s first shutout since March 11, 2021, while playing for the Boston Bruins — against the Rangers.
“It’s a win,’’ said Halak, who improved to 9-8-3, “but it’s more special when you get a shutout. And finally, my son, he got to see me tonight get a shutout.’’
Halak’s son, Nathan, is 6½ and also plays goalie. He had never seen his father accomplish that feat before, Halak said.
For the second straight night, coach Gerard Gallant had the awkward task of guiding the Rangers through a game in which they had a big early lead. Against the Penguins, they scored four times in the second period to take a 6-0 lead.
“It should have been fun, but it’s not easy, those games like that,’’ Gallant said. “You just want to make sure that guys keep playing well and . . . 6-0, obviously, you want to keep doing the right things and you don’t want to embarrass people. So I thought our guys did an excellent job . . . They played the game the right way.’’
Nashville, still battling for a playoff spot in the Western Conference, played without star defenseman Roman Josi, who was injured in Saturday’s overtime loss to Winnipeg.
The Rangers will close out the five-game homestand Tuesday against the Metropolitan Division-leading Hurricanes, the first of two straight games against Carolina. The teams will play again Thursday in Raleigh.
Chytil scored the first goal of the game, taking a pass from Miller in his own zone and weaving his way up the middle before flipping a forehand shot over Kevin Lankinen’s glove for a remarkably easy goal at 2:37. It gave him his first 20-goal season and broke an 18-game drought. He hadn’t scored since Feb. 8 against Vancouver.
Zibanejad followed with his fifth goal in the last four games — and 37th of the season — to make it 2-0 at 7:22. Motte scored his second goal as a Ranger — and second in three games — at 8:14. Then Miller scored his first goal at 9:09 while the teams were skating four-on-four. That was all for Lankinen, who made one save and allowed four goals.
Panarin scored against Juuse Saros on a four-on-three power play at 10:01. Miller added his second at 13:36 and Chris Kreider made it 7-0 with his 32nd goal at 9:02 of the second period.
It gave the Rangers 15 unanswered goals and was the 261st of Kreider’s career, moving him one behind Vic Hadfield for fifth place in franchise history.
Notes & quotes: Defenseman Ryan Lindgren missed his 11th straight game with an upper-body injury, but Gallant said in his pregame media briefing that he believes Lindgren is likely to return to the lineup on Tuesday against the Hurricanes . . . Miller was plus-5 and Jacob Trouba, who had two assists, was plus-4.
Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
