Artemi Panarin’s hat trick powers Rangers past Red Wings 5-2

Artemi Panarin and the New York Rangers offense continue to be unstoppable in the early stages of the new NHL season.

The Russian forward scored three goals for his eighth NHL hat trick and added an assist, helping to power the Rangers to a 5-2 victory against the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday night to complete a sweep of their home-and-home series.

Three nights after setting up three goals in the Rangers’ 4-1 win over the Red Wings at Madison Square Garden, Panarin scored twice in the first period, assisted on Vincent Trocheck’s power-play goal at 8:46 of the second, then completed his hat trick less than four minutes later with the Rangers’ third power-play goal in as many opportunities.

“I was feeling good,” Panarin told the New York Post . “The first two shots go in for me and then after, of course, you’re feeling great. We have so many power plays, too, which gives you the puck a lot.”

Panarin made team history with his fourth straight multiple-point game from the start of the season, something no Ranger had done since the franchise entered the NHL in 1926. He also moved into a tie with Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins for the NHL scoring lead with 11 points, though Malkin has played one more game.

“He’s pretty much always on,” Trocheck said. “There’s really nothing that you’ve got to look for to know, you just can see it on the ice.”

But Panarin wasn’t the only hero as the Rangers improved to 3-0-1. Trocheck assisted on all three of Panarin’s goals during his own four-point night. Goaltender Jonathan Quick, making his first start of the season, earned his 394th NHL win with 29 saves. Defenseman Adam Fox had three assists, and rookie defenseman Victor Mancini, whose family lives about 90 miles away from Little Caesars Arena, drew cheers when he scored his first NHL goal in his fourth game.

The Rangers have scored 20 goals in their first four games, two shy of the franchise record set in 1976-77. They also scored 20 in the first four games of 1987-88.

Also Read: Will Cuylle leads Rangers’ third line to strong start

New York Rangers 5 – Detroit Red Wings 2

The start of the game was all Detroit, as the Red Wings put heat on Quick almost from the opening face-off. Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin drew two power plays 1:18 apart, a trip against Trocheck at 4:07 and a slashing call against Fox at 5:25.

Quick was both good and lucky — Alex DeBrincat missed a wide-open net shortly after Fox’s penalty gave Detroit a 5-on-3 power play.

“All the way through he was on point,” coach Peter Laviolette said of Quick. “I thought he played a fantastic game. That’s what you get with someone of his pedigree, a guy who has won championships and played as long as he has.”

Detroit had the game’s first seven shots, but the Rangers made their first one count. Panarin scored his third of the season at 8:30, capping a terrific three-way passing play by taking a cross-ice feed from Trocheck and beating Cam Talbot from the lower left circle for his third of the season.

“I thought we tightened up really well defensively and, offensively, continued to push,” Laviolette said.

The Rangers got their first power play at 15:28 when DeBrincat was sent off for tripping and needed just 11 seconds to cash in. Trocheck won the draw and found Fox, who fed Panarin for a perfect wrister from just above the right circle that went through traffic and caught the top far corner for a 2-0 lead.

The Red Wings kept firing away but couldn’t beat Quick before intermission despite attempting 29 shots — they missed the net 10 times and had seven others blocked.

But Detroit didn’t get discouraged and got on the board 1:27 into the second period. Defenseman Mo Seider made a nice move to get some shooting room before beating Quick through traffic from the high slot for his first of the season.

However, the Rangers’ power play restored the two-goal lead, cashing in on its second opportunity after Jonathan Berggren went off for holding at 7:39. The top unit controlled the action until Trocheck tipped Panarin’s wrister from the top of the slot past Talbot at 8:46.

Panarin then completed his hat trick at 11:42, and Mancini ended Talbot’s night 38 seconds with a straightaway wrister from just inside the blue line that found its way through a crowd and into the net.

“Little bit of disbelief, just emotion, happiness,” the 22-year-old said. “Words can’t really describe it, especially doing it in Michigan, too.”

J.T. Compher added a late power-play goal for the Red Wings — the first third-period goal allowed by the Rangers this season.

The Rangers continue their three-game, all-Original Six road trip Saturday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

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