Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere scored in the first period and the New York Rangers stopped a season-high four-game losing streak by holding on for a 2-1 victory over the visiting Washington Capitals on Sunday afternoon in the second half of a home-and-home set.
The Rangers avoided their first five-game skid since April 29-May 6, 2021 and improved to 9-9-1 in their past 19 contests after speeding out to an 18-4-1 start.
Igor Shesterkin bounced back from allowing nine goals in his previous two starts with a 24-save performance that was aided by his teammates blocking 23 shots. His highlight was a sprawling glove save on a shot by Connor McMichael with 95 seconds left after the Rangers mishandled the puck in the defensive zone.
Panarin notched his 400th regular-season point for New York 50 seconds into the game and Lafreniere scored with 50 seconds left in the first.
T.J. Oshie scored for Washington, which held out captain Alex Ovechkin for the second straight game due to a lower leg injury sustained Jan. 5 in a collision with Carolina’s Jordan Staal. Ovechkin missed his second game of the season, and Washington could not rally after it had scored twice in a span of 1:53 to get a 3-2 win Saturday.
Goalie Charlie Lindgren gave the Capitals plenty of chances to rally by making 29 saves, including back-to-back point stops on Chris Kreider on a New York two-man advantage in the second. Lindgren also denied Jimmy Vesey on a breakaway and made 12 saves during five New York power plays.
Panarin got his 27th goal by blasting a one-timer from the edge of the left circle over Lindgren as he fell to the ice. Panarin had ample time as three defenders went to cover Vincent Trocheck before the cross-ice feed was released.
Lafreniere ended an eight-game goal-scoring drought by chipping in his rebound when he was open at the crease moments after being denied by Lindgren’s diving stop.
Oshie scored with 8:57 left in the second by going to the net and redirecting a centering feed by Dylan Strome from slightly behind the red line after New York defenseman Erik Gustafsson could not clear.
–Field Level Media
