Panarin scores twice, extends point streak to 15 in Rangers victory against Devils

Jimmy Vesey notched two goals, Vincent Trocheck dished out three assists, and Igor Shesterkin made 30 saves for the dominant Rangers (12-2-1), who have been on an incredible 10-0-1 streak in their last 11 games. Shesterkin’s exceptional performance comes after missing the previous four games due to minor soreness.

Adding to the excitement, Jack Hughes contributed a goal and an assist, Dougie Hamilton delivered two assists, and Vitek Vanecek made 30 saves for the Devils (8-7-1). Hughes, who recently returned after missing five games with an upper-body injury, added an extra layer of energy to the game.

Aleksander Panarin, with an impressive 26 points (10 goals, 16 assists) during his current streak, set a Rangers record for the longest run to start a season, surpassing Rod Gilbert’s 14-game record in 1972-73.

Furthermore, the Rangers have not had a point streak of at least 11 games since their remarkable 13-game streak from Oct.18-Nov. 15, 2015.

The game reached its peak when the Rangers scored three consecutive goals in the third period, with Panarin tying it 3-3 at 11:04 and Vesey securing a 4-3 lead at 17:11 with his second goal of the game. The final stretch saw Blake Wheeler sealing the deal with an empty-netter at 18:27, finishing the game 5-3 in favor of the Rangers.

The hard-fought battle also included thrilling exchanges, such as Panarin’s power play goal at 8:37 of the first period, followed by Hughes tying it 1-1 at 9:25. Vesey then put New York ahead 2-1 at 14:11, only to be matched by Ondrej Palat’s power play goal at 19:12, leading to a 2-2 deadlock.

Highlights continued in the third period, with Erik Haula giving the Devils a 3-2 lead at 1:17, before the Rangers unleashed their offensive prowess, resulting in a sensational victory.

The game also saw Tomas Nosek exiting early after a hit from New York defenseman Jacob Trouba in front of the Rangers net at 13:43 of the first, leaving the Devils with 10 forwards and prompting a strategic shift for New Jersey.