NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Alexis Lafreniere scored twice, Artemi Panarin had three assists and the Rangers beat the Devils 5-1 Thursday night to earn their ninth straight win to tie their longest streak in eight seasons.
Igor Shesterkin made 39 saves and picked up his first assist of the season as the Rangers moved within a win of tying their longest winning streak in franchise history. They had 10-game runs in 1972-73 and 1939-40.
Mika Zibanejad scored a power-play goal, linemate Chris Kreider got his 29th of the season and Vincent Trocheck talled late for New York, which has not lost since Jan. 26 against the Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights.
The Metropolitan Division leader killed all five New Jersey power plays, including an early five-minute major to rookie Matt Rempe and a four-minute high-sticking call against Kaapo Kakko.
All the Rangers wanted to talk about after the game was their penalty kill.
“I think we really never get them get set and I think just in general, especially after the first five-minute kill, we had confidence in our our kill and the way we were pressuring, the way we were taking time and space away, with all the kills," Zibanejad said. "That was great.”
The initial kill set the tone for the game and Zibanejad scored on a power play minutes after that kill, and the Rangers never looked back.
"Our PK has kind of slipped the last couple games and we’ve talked about that and wanted to do a good job tonight,” captain Jacob Trouba said. "We answered and kind of put more details into it, a little more attention on how we want to kill penalties. And yeah, I think if we get into special teams games, I think the PK knows if we if we can do a good job, our power play is going to get a couple.”
Jack Hughes broke up Shesterkin's bid for a second shutout this season with 2:07 to play. Nico Daws made 13 saves for New Jersey, which lost its second straight and for the third time in four games.
“We got to score on so many opportunities in a power play,” Devils captain Nico Hischier said. “We weren’t sharp enough in the first power play; It was better but just couldn’t find the back of the net and it is what it is. We’ll work on it, flush it right now and move on.”
This one was embarrassing at home as Rangers fans made it feel like the game was across the river at Madison Square Garden.
“We just got to regroup,” Hughes said. “We got to digest tonight and then we got to wrap our heads around changing our attitude and really believing in ourselves and not just talking, like in saying that, but actually doing that.”
After the Rangers killed off the major to Rempe while allowing five shots, they took the lead on Zibanejad's 19th of the season on a shot in close. It came just 5 seconds after Curtis Lazar was called for slashing Shesterkin.
Lafreniere doubled the lead with 2:04 left in the period with a shot in close after New Jersey defenseman Luke Hughes turned the puck over in front of his net with the teams playing 4 on 4.
Kreider scored on a counterattack in the second period that was set up by Shesterkin making a pass from his crease to Panarin at the Devils' blue line. Lafreniere got his second on a breakaway set up by Trocheck, who tallied late in the third on Panarin's final assist.
UP NEXT
Rangers: At Philadelphia on Saturday.
Devils: Host Montreal on Saturday.