3 Rangers takeaways from 5-2 victory against Detroit Red Wings

The New York Rangers continue to fill the net.

The Rangers have 20 goals through their first four games after blitzing the Detroit Red Wings 5-2 at Little Caesars Arena on Thursday, completing a sweep of their home-and-home series that began Monday with a 4-1 victory at Madison Square Garden.

The victory gives the Rangers a 3-0-1 record, their best four-game start since beginning the 2008-09 season with four consecutive victories and the ninth time in team history they’ve had points in each of their first four games. The 20 goals are the most they’ve had in the season’s first four games since scoring 20 in 1987-88 and two shy of the team record of 22 set in 1976-77.

Three of the five goals came on the power play, the first time they’ve had three in a game since March 9 against the St. Louis Blues.

Artemi Panarin continued his hot start with a hat trick and an assist; linemate Vincent Trocheck also had a four-point night with one goal and assists on each of Panarin’s three goals. Defenseman Adam Fox chipped in with three assists.

With seven points, the Rangers are second in the Metropolitan Division behind the New Jersey Devils, who improved to 5-2-0 (10 points) with a 3-1 road victory against the Ottawa Senators.

Related: Will Cuylle off to strong start on Rangers’ third line

3 takeaways from Rangers 5-2 win against Red Wings

Here are three key takeaways from the game Thursday.

1. Artemi Panarin continues sensational start

Panarin had five points in his first four games last season, when he finished with 120 points , the second-highest total in Rangers history. He’s more than doubled that output through four games this season, piling up 11 points (five goals, six assists) after his four-point night in Detroit. It’s enough to give him a share of the League scoring lead with Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins, who has 11 in five games.

“Tonight was definitely our night,” said Panarin, who scored on three of his four shots on goal . “I don’t want to say too much, because it was only one game, but we had everything going very well.”

It was the 23rd four-point game in Panarin’s career. He has 56 three-point games since joining the Rangers in 2019-20.; the only NHL players with more in that span are two Edmonton Oilers — Connor McDavid (83) and Leon Draisaitl (65). The hat trick was his eighth in the NHL.

Panarin became the first player in Rangers history with multiple points in each of the first four games of a season, and 11 points in the first four games of a season are the most by any Ranger.

“I didn’t know that, but that’s awesome,” Panarin said of the mark. “I’m going to try to keep that going.”

2. Victor Mancini has night to remember

Scoring your first NHL goal is a thrill for any player. Scoring it in front of family and friends in your home state is almost beyond description.

Just ask Rangers rookie defenseman Victor Mancini, a Michigan native. He’s gone from training camp long shot to a regular on the blue line in the absence of Ryan Lindgren , who’s skating again as he recuperates from an upper-body injury sustained during the preseason.

Mancini had quite a few family members and friends at Little Caesars Arena to see him play his fourth NHL game. They formed his own little cheering section when the 22-year-old’s second-period wrist shot hit the back of the net. It was his first NHL goal and point.

“Words can’t really describe that feeling, especially in Michigan,” he said. “My mom and my grandmother were here, along with a lot of aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.”

3. Jonathan Quick shows no signs of rust

Quick hadn’t played in a game of any sort since going all the way in a 3-1 preseason loss to the New Jersey Devils on Sept. 30. But he looked like he was in midseason form on Thursday, especially in the first few minutes of the opening period when the Red Wings dominated the action and had two power plays, including a 5-on-3 advantage for 42 seconds.

“I thought the defense did a great job in front of me,” Quick said. “There were plenty of battles in front of the net and our guys were coming out on top.”

The 38-year-old was an ideal backup to Igor Shesterkin last season, finishing with a .911 save percentage in 27 games. He looked every bit as good in his 2024-25 debut, finishing with 29 saves and allowing just one goal at 5-on-5.

“All the way through he was on point,” Laviolette said. “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.”

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