Rangers breeze past Kraken with 4-1 win

SEATTLE (AP) — Artemi Panarin recorded a pair of goals, with Filip Chytil providing three assists, as the Rangers triumphed over the Seattle Kraken 4-1 on Saturday night.

Kaapo Kakko and Alexis Lafreniere also contributed to the scoring for the Rangers, while Jonathan Quick, signed in the offseason as New York’s backup goalie, delivered a noteworthy performance with 18 saves in his team debut.

Justin Schultz scored the lone goal for the struggling Kraken, who have struggled to find the net this season, scoring one goal or fewer in four out of their five games. Philipp Grubauer stood firm in goal with 23 saves.

The Kraken took an early 1-0 lead when Schultz fired a one-timer from the left circle midway through the first period, securing his first goal of the season.

However, Panarin swiftly responded, notching his first goal, which equalized the score within four minutes of the Kraken’s opener.

The Rangers gained momentum in the second period, notching two goals to establish a 3-1 lead.

With approximately seven minutes remaining in the second period, Grubauer failed to control a shot from Jacob Trouba, allowing Kakko to capitalize on the loose puck in the crease, extending the Rangers’ advantage. Lafreniere closed out the period with his second goal of the season, finding the net with just two minutes left.

Panarin continued to shine, scoring again 5 1/2 minutes into the third period, as he skillfully collected a bouncing puck and fired it past Grubauer.

NOTES

The game experienced a brief delay at the start due to a malfunctioning bank of lights. The defensive zone of the Rangers appeared dimmer than the rest of the ice. After approximately a minute of play, the game was temporarily halted. Eventually, the game resumed without the lights being restored, prompting the teams to switch sides at the halfway mark of each period to mitigate the impact of the lighting issue.

Kraken forward Andre Burakovsky departed the game early in the second period following a collision with Trouba on the boards. Burakovsky gingerly rose to his feet after the hit and did not return to the game.

UP NEXT:

Rangers: The Rangers will face off against the Calgary Flames on Tuesday.

Kraken: The Kraken will travel to Detroit for a matchup against the Red Wings on Tuesday.