Chris Kreider scored a crucial power-play goal late in the second period, helping the New York Rangers defeat the Detroit Red Wings 4-1 on Monday night.
Kreider redirected a shot from Mika Zibanejad with 2:55 remaining in the second period, breaking a 1-1 tie after both teams had scored in the first period. Alexis Lafreniere, Reilly Smith, and Zibanejad also found the net for the Rangers, while Igor Shesterkin made 31 saves.
Dylan Larkin scored for Detroit just two seconds before the first period ended, after Lafreniere had opened the scoring for the Rangers with 8:15 to go in the first. Alex Lyon, making his first start of the season, recorded 24 saves for the Red Wings.
The Red Wings were playing their first away game after winning 3-0 against Nashville on Saturday, following a 6-3 loss to Pittsburgh in their season opener.
Patrick Kane, a forward for the Red Wings who previously played 19 games for New York, received warm applause from the Madison Square Garden crowd during his return to Detroit. Kane assisted on Larkin’s goal, marking his 814th career assist, which moved him past Mike Modano for second-most assists by a U.S.-born player.
Rangers forward Artemi Panarin, who led the team with 120 points last season, contributed three assists in this game, bringing his total to seven points, including two goals, in three games.
Shesterkin made a key save against Detroit’s J.T. Compher with 1:58 left in the second period, keeping the score at 2-1. Smith then extended the Rangers’ lead with his first goal for the team at 4:51 of the third period.
Kreider’s goal was the 307th of his career, making him third on the Rangers’ all-time list, behind Rod Gilbert and Jean Ratelle. It was also his 111th power-play goal, ranking second in franchise history, just behind Camille Henry’s 116.
