PITTSBURGH — Igor Shesterkin stopped 29 photographs and the New York Rangers opened the season with a 6-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday evening.
Chris Kreider scored twice for the reigning Metropolitan Division champions. Sam Carrick, Alexis Lafreniere, Filip Chytil and Vincent Trocheck additionally scored for New York, which dominated Pittsburgh whereas beating the Penguins for the fifth time of their final six conferences.
Chytil’s objective was his first in over 18 months after he missed most of final season on account of a concussion. The middle’s flick to the far publish in opposition to Tristan Jarry simply earlier than the sport’s halfway level boosted New York’s result in 4-0.
Jarry stopped 35 of the 41 photographs he confronted for Pittsburgh. Penguins star Sidney Crosby was held scoreless in his twentieth season opener. Evgeni Malkin was held and not using a level. The Russian star started his nineteenth season with 498 profession targets and 798 profession assists.
TAKEAWAYS
Rangers: New York wasted little time showcasing the expertise disparity between the 2 golf equipment. Outdoors of the opening minutes of the primary interval, New York was crisper, sooner and fewer mistake-prone.
Penguins: The facility play has a brand new coach however the identical outcomes. Pittsburgh went 0 for 3 with the person benefit and gave up a short-handed objective to Kreider within the third interval.
KEY MOMENT
Lafreniere and Kreider scored 2:25 aside late within the first to supply loads of respiration room for Shesterkin, who earned his sixteenth profession shutout.
KEY STAT
11 — the variety of gamers in NHL historical past who’ve spent 20 seasons with one staff, an inventory that now consists of Crosby. Washington star Alex Ovechkin will be a part of the checklist when the Capitals open their season on Saturday.
UP NEXT
The Rangers are off till Saturday after they welcome Utah to Madison Sq. Backyard. The Penguins start a three-game highway journey on Thursday evening in Detroit.
