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The New York Rangers kicked off 2024-25 by steamrolling the Pittsburgh Penguins with a 6-0 victory. From the drop of the puck, the Rangers set the tone, jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the opening period and never looking back, delivering a statement win to start the season.
Rangers vs. Penguins Game Recap
Just over two minutes into the game, Sam Carrick and Jonny Brodzinski applied pressure on Noel Acciari along the boards in the offensive zone. Brodzinski quickly fed the puck to Jacob Trouba at the point while Carrick positioned himself in front of the net, tipping in his first goal as a Ranger—and the first Rangers goal of the season. Later in the period, Will Cuylle found the back of the net on a pass from Kaapo Kakko, but the goal was overturned after an offside challenge from the Penguins. As the period neared its end, Artemi Panarin intercepted a pass from Lars Eller and set Alexis Lafreniere up for a one-on-one.
Lafreniere pulled off a slick toe drag around Marcus Pettersson before sliding the puck five-hole past Tristan Jarry to extend the Rangers’ lead to 2-0. In the final moments of the period, following a stretch of sustained pressure, Reilly Smith set up Trouba, whose shot was stopped by Jarry, but Chris Kreider was there to bury the rebound, capping off an impressive first period for the Rangers.
Each team had two power play opportunities in the second period, but neither capitalized. The period featured only one goal at the midway point after a zone entry by Filip Chytil and Cuylle. Cuylle mishandled a shot, but it turned into the perfect pass, allowing Chytil to fire the puck past Jarry, extending the Rangers’ lead to 4-0.
Ten minutes into the third, Reilly Smith was sent to the penalty box for hooking Sidney Crosby. On the ensuing Penguins’ power play, a miscommunication between Evgeni Malkin and Erik Karlsson led to a loose puck bouncing off the boards. Kreider pounced on it, made a slick move around Kris Letang, and slid the puck through Jarry’s five-hole for a shorthanded goal.
Vincent Trocheck capped off the night with a goal off a rebound from a Lafreniere shot, putting the Rangers up 6-0 as the game was winding down. The final seconds ticked away, securing the Rangers’ dominant win and Igor Shesterkin’s shutout to open the season.
Rangers Takeaways
- Trouba was arguably the best Rangers skater on the ice last night. He had two assists and played solid defensively. Although he took a minor penalty, that decision likely saved a goal. After a rough summer, Trouba showed up playing like an $8 million defenseman.
- Chytil scored his first goal since the 2023 Playoffs. Coming off an injury that sidelined him for most of the 2023-24 season—playing only 16 games between the regular season and playoffs—he picked up right where he left off in the preseason. He played physically, drove the offense, and added a goal, proving he’s the third-line center the Rangers sorely missed against the Florida Panthers in the playoffs last year. He also elevated his linemates.
- All four lines contributed to at least one goal last night, with five of the Rangers’ six goals coming at five-on-five. This marks a significant improvement for a team that relied heavily on their power play last season. Though the power play went 0-2 against the Penguins, it generated quality chances. The sixth goal was a shorthanded effort, while the penalty kill was perfect, going 3-for-3 with a shorthanded tally. The Rangers struggled to dominate at even strength and on special teams last season, making this performance a good early sign.
- The Panarin-Trocheck-Lafreniere line netted two goals, but they controlled only 33% of expected goals. The trio, all coming off career-high seasons, will aim to build on their success, and last night was a promising start.
- Shesterkin was flawless, stopping all 31 shots he faced. With questions looming over his contract extension—his current deal expires after this season, and he reportedly turned down an eight-year, $88 million offer—performances like last night might push the Rangers to offer him a blank check. He made the saves he needed to, but credit also goes to the defense for limiting high-danger scoring chances.
- Victor Mancini played his first NHL game and looked like he belonged. While he didn’t appear on the scoresheet, he was positionally sound and moved the puck out of his zone efficiently. Mancini even mixed it up with Crosby after contact with Shesterkin, showing grit and earning himself another chance to play against the Utah Hockey Club on Saturday.
- The only disappointment was Mika Zibanejad. He fell back into last season’s bad habits, particularly his reluctance to shoot. Despite having plenty of opportunities, he finished with zero shots on goal. His five-on-five play has struggled for a few seasons now, though he continues to be effective on the power play. While it’s too early to sound the alarm, Zibanejad needs to get back on track; otherwise, his eight-year, $8.5 million deal, which runs through 2029-30, will become a concern.
- Next Game: Saturday, Oct. 12, 7 p.m. EST vs. Utah Hockey Club at Madison Square Garden.
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