Chris Kreider scored the tiebreaking goal with 9:38 remaining in the third period as the New York Rangers erased three one-goal deficits and defeated the Utah Hockey Club 5-3 on Thursday night in Salt Lake City.
The Rangers capped a 2-0-1 Western trip and extended their point streak to six games (4-0-2).
After Sam Carrick won an offensive zone faceoff from Barrett Hayton in the right circle, Kreider gained possession near the boards and moved into the slot. As Kreider released a shot, the puck grazed off the stick of Utah defenseman Ian Cole, went past fellow defenseman Mikhail Sergachev and past goalie Karel Vejmelka. Kreider scored for the third time in his past five games.
Reilly Smith had tied the game with a short-handed goal 28 seconds into the third. His shot from the left circle changed directions and sailed past Sergachev before going into the net.
Artemi Panarin scored New York’s first tying goal and capped the comeback with an empty-netter. Arthur Kaliyev also scored a tying goal and Carrick contributed two assists as the Rangers earned their first win (1-17-1) when trailing through two periods.
Logan Cooley scored a power-play goal 57 seconds into the second period to give Utah a 3-2 lead. Matias Maccelli scored twice in the opening period and notched his third two-goal game of the season as Utah dropped to 2-8-2 in its past 12 contests.
New York goalie Igor Shesterkin made 28 saves and nearly scored an empty-net goal.
Vejmelka allowed four goals on 24 shots.
Utah took a 1-0 lead 61 seconds into the contest when Maccelli took a loose puck at the right side of the net near the red line and slid the puck into the vacated net.
The Rangers evened the game nearly three minutes later when Panarin buried a one-timer from close range after Alexis Lafreniere intercepted Sergachev’s clearing attempt behind the net.
Michelli scored again with 11:48 remaining when he beat Shesterkin with a backhander from in front while falling to the ice. Kaliyev evened the contest with 3:35 left when he got the rebound of Filip Chytil’s shot from the right wing and poked the loose puck into the open net.
Cooley gave Utah a 3-2 lead when he was wide open at the bottom of the left circle.
–Field Level Media
