Igor Shesterkin made 27 saves at the start of his first NHL game, and the New York Rangers opened a four-game series against rival New Jersey Devils, with a 3-0 victory Tuesday night at Prudential Center.
Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin scored, and Adam Fox witnessed both goals as New York improved to 10-4-3 on March 13th. .
Mackenzie Blackwood had 17 saves, when the young devils fell to 2-7-2 in the last 11. Not even the return of captain Nico Hischier from a broken nose who had left him on February 27 did not help.
Shesterkin, 25, was in his game from the start, stopping a breakaway from Jesper Bratt in the first 10 seconds and another from Devils scorer Miles Wood in the second period.
Zibanejad, who has 12 goals in his last 15 games scored in a 7:02 breakaway from a first open period. A pass to the side pulled the defense out of position which let Blackwood slip through on goal.
After a very defensive midfield, Panarin gave the Rangers a breather at 7:50 of the third, with a goal from the left circle, through a beautiful cross of ice by Filip Chytil.
Panarin’s goal came in the 100th game with the Rangers. He also gave him 138 points in those games, surpassing the 100-game mark of 137 set by Mark Messier.
The teams will play again on Thursday and Saturday in New York and will return to New Jersey on Sunday for the last game in their eight-game series of the regular season. The Rangers lead the series 3-2, after winning the last three in New Jersey.
Defender Jonas Siegenthaler made his debut for the Devils. He was acquired on Sunday in an agreement with Washington. The Swiss native was paired with Will Butcher and played at 15:45.