The goals have been flowing consistently for the New York Rangers through their first three games, but until the final minutes on Monday, Mika Zibanejad was not included in the scoring barrage.
After scoring his first goal, Zibanejad looks to enjoy another productive showing Thursday night when the Rangers visit Detroit in the second of a home-and-home against the Red Wings and opener of a three-game road trip.
New York’s 15 goals through the first three games are tied for the most in team history, first set in 1979-80 and equaled in 1983-84. The Rangers would need to score seven times to equal the 1976-77 team record for goals through four games.
The Rangers have seen 11 players score at least once; Chris Kreider, Alexis Lafreniere and Artemi Panarin have combined for seven goals.
Kreider scored the tiebreaking goal on a power play late in the second period of Monday’s 4-1 home win over the Red Wings. Zibanejad collected two assists in addition to his first goal after finishing with a minus-4 rating in Saturday’s 6-5 overtime loss to the Utah Hockey Club in the home opener.
“Confidence-wise, when you get one, you get more energy,” Zibanejad said after he took five shots on goal and scored into an empty net on Monday. “You feel like you get a little bit of swag back, too. You can skate a little bit more and not be tired, so it’s obviously nice to get the first one out of the way.”
Panarin set up Lafreniere’s goal and Reilly Smith also scored his first goal as a Ranger against Detroit. Panarin has seven points through New York’s first three games. He has three goals and 12 assists in his past 10 contests against the Red Wings.
The Rangers held Kreider out of practice Wednesday due to an illness, but he traveled with the team and is likely to play Thursday.
The Red Wings have scored seven goals through their first three games against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Nashville Predators and Rangers. Dylan Larkin scored his second goal of the campaign on Monday before the Red Wings gave up three straight tallies.
Detroit also continued to struggle on the power play by going 0-for-4 on Monday. The Red Wings are 1-for-11 on the man advantage after having the NHL’s ninth-best power play last season at 23.1 percent.
“We haven’t gotten any quality looks at the net,” Larkin said after Monday’s loss. “I think we’ve done a good job setting up possession and we’ve moved the puck around well.”
Detroit took 32 shots on goal and eight of those were during the power plays.
“I also think that for whatever reason right now, we do really well on the first power play and then we kind of go to sleep for the rest of our opportunities,” Larkin said. “That can’t happen. Every time you go over the boards, you need to try and make it count.”
Red Wings defenseman Erik Gustafsson was a healthy scratch the past two games. Gustafsson, who spent last season with the Rangers, may return to the ice Thursday.
The Rangers are 10-1-2 in their past 13 meetings with the Red Wings.
