The Rangers played their first complete game of the season snapping their five-game losing streak with a 4-2 victory.
- Nashville Predators, 2 (4-3-1, 9 points)
- New York Rangers, 4 (2-5-2 6 points)
- NSH Goals: Mattias Ekholm (1), Filip Forsberg (6)
- NYR Goals: Jesper Fast (1), Chris Kreider (1), Kevin Hayes (3), Jimmy Vesey (1)
- NHL, Final, Boxscore
- Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
For the first time this season, the Rangers came out and dominated the first period. From puck drop to the final buzzer, New York was the more aggressive team and built momentum throughout the period, killing three penalties through the first 20 minutes.
At the 14:58 mark of the game, Jesper Fast gave the Rangers just their third first-period lead of the season.
Jesper Fast scored the first of 2 #NYR ?? in the first period! Blueshirts lead 2-0 after 1. Stay tuned to @MSGNetworks. pic.twitter.com/xFe2qe5dZm
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) October 21, 2017
Coming into this afternoon Chris Kreider was still looking for his first goal of the season. But not anymore. Kreider took advantage of a great pass from J.T. Miller and one-timed it past Jussi Saros on the powerplay for a 2-0 lead going into the second.
Kreider goal pic.twitter.com/ZmABPE50L0
— steph (@myregularface) October 21, 2017
Henrik Lundqvist, playing his 750th career game, would make nine saves in the period and the Rangers would take just their second multi-goal lead this season into the locker room.
Nashville wasn’t going to sit there and let a team on a losing streak blow them out of the building. Mattias Ekholm would blast one past Lundqvist to cut the Rangers lead in half at the 1:44 mark of the second period.
Mattias Ekholm to the back of the net. #Preds #NSHvsNYR pic.twitter.com/JcUxgPkn8I
— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) October 21, 2017
But the Rangers and Kevin Hayes answered right back on a beautiful rush.
great move by Hayes pic.twitter.com/34voSTYo5m
— steph (@myregularface) October 21, 2017
With 4:30 to go in the second, Nashville caught a break to make things interesting, as a deflected shot hit Lundqvist’s glove but went behind him and in the back of the net.
Preds 2nd goal pic.twitter.com/ScjoOLbP0V
— steph (@myregularface) October 21, 2017
Jimmy Vesey would add an empty-net goal at the 19:21 mark of the third period after the Rangers had to battle defensively to preserve the victory.
The Blueshirts will host the San Jose Sharks on Monday night to try and make it two wins in a row. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.
