NEW YORK (AP) — An offensive outburst by defenseman Tony DeAngelo propelled the New York Rangers.
DeAngelo recorded his first career hat trick and added two assists as the Rangers beat the New Jersey Devils 6-3 on Thursday night. Rookie goaltender Igor Shesterkin collect his second career NHL win.
“He is always looking to make a play," Ryan Strome said of DeAngelo’s five-point performance. “He’s got all the things you can’t teach in a defenseman. It's special to see him out there."
Artemi Panarin had a goal and two assists, and Jesper Fast and Chris Kreider also scored for New York. Kreider, Strome and Mika Zibanejad each had two-point games for the Rangers.
Shesterkin made 46 saves in his second consecutive start.
“He really absorbs the puck well,” Rangers coach David Quinn said of his goaltender. “He does a heck of a job not giving up those rebounds that are lying around the crease.”
Blake Coleman scored twice and Kevin Rooney added a goal for the Devils, who lost their third straight. Mackenzie Blackwood made 20 saves before being replaced by Louis Domingue at the start of the third period. Domingue finished with 11 saves.
DeAngelo completed his hat trick by scoring two goals in a 2:54 span in the second period, giving the Rangers a two-goal lead. He became the first Rangers defenseman to score three times since Reijo Ruotsalainen did it on March 17, 1982.
“He’s had a pretty special season in a lot of ways,” Quinn said of DeAngelo. “He’s got a unique skill set. His vision is uncanny; he is as good of a passer as I have been around. He just had it all rolling tonight.”
The Rangers took a 2-1 lead when Pavel Zacha committed a costly mistake midway through the first period. Shortly after a Devils penalty expired, the young forward tried to get a stick replacement from the bench while the Rangers had possession in the offensive zone. Zibanejad recognized the opportunity and found DeAngelo alone in the slot for his first goal of the game at 9:47.
DeAngelo capped off his three-point first period with a crafty assist from his own zone. He sent a pass the length of the ice and Kreider collected the puck behind the Devils defense. The power forward recorded his 300th NHL point with a nifty deke that gave New York a 3-1 lead at 12:16 of the first period.
"It's mental mistakes, lack of focus,” Devils coach Alain Nasreddine said. “As much as we execute on the offensive side, we're not executing on the defensive side. We can't be giving up six goals and expect to win."
Panarin opened the scoring with a powerful one-timer at 5:42 of the first. Panarin has been superb for New York and will represent the team at the 2020 NHL All-Star Game later this month. DeAngelo and Adam Fox assisted on the play.
Kevin Rooney scored his first of the season when he jammed a puck past Shesterkin at 8:06 of the first, tying the score at 1-1.
Coleman knotted the game at 3-3 with consecutive goals. Late in the first period, Coleman redirected a shot past Shesterkin to pull the Devils within one. Then, at 8:56 of the second period, he scored a controversial goal upon review. The referees awarded the Devils a goal because Jacob Trouba caused the net to come off its moorings.
Fast netted his seventh of the season at 12:56 of the third period. Panarin tallied the secondary assist and his third point of the game, giving him five games with three or more points over the last seven contests.
NOTES: Panarin recorded his 20th multi-point outing in 43 games this season. … The Rangers and Devils are two of three NHL teams (along with Vancouver) that have had two goaltenders 24-years-old or younger appear in at least one game this season. … The Rangers have won eight of their last nine games against Metropolitan Division opponents. … New York has tallied at least three goals in 28 of 43 games during the 2019-20 season. … The Rangers scratched defenseman Libor Hajek, forward Micheal Haley and goaltender Alexandar Georgiev. … Devils forward Jack Hughes missed his fourth straight game with an upper-body injury and Jesper Bratt missed his second consecutive game with a lower-body injury.
UP NEXT:
Devils: At St. Louis Blues on Saturday.
Rangers: At Washington Capitals on Saturday.
