In New York, Artemi Panarin hit for a hat trick and four points on Sunday night as the edged the visiting San Jose Sharks, 6-5.
“We have the depth on the team,” Panarin said. “We look pretty good right now. Hope we can play like that all year.”
With the win, the Rangers improved to 18-4-1.
Jonathan Quick made 23 saves in the win, and improved to 7-0-1.
The Sharks took a 1-0 lead at 3:50 of the first period on a breakaway goal from Anthony Duclair.
Panarin picked up his first of the night off a power play marker at at 8:44 to tie it, 1-1.
San Jose replied at 12:21 of the stanza to reclaim the lead, 2-1, on a goal from Ryan Carpenter .
“Right from the get-go, I thought we were ready to play,” San Jose coach David Quinn said. “Just the way we stuck with it throughout the 60 minutes says an awful lot about our group. Frustrating because we felt like we gave them a few gifts there in the third period, but our mental toughness and our resolve certainly make you feel good.”
The Sharks dropped to 6-17-2.
The lead lasted all of 34 seconds when Panarin picked up his double at 12:55 for a 2-2 tie.
Mika Zibanejad hit at 16:42 to give the Rangers a 3-2 lead headed to the middle frame.
Midway through the second period, San Jose’s Jacob MacDonald scored off the power play to tie the game, again, this time at 3-3.
“That fight is a big part of it,” MacDonald said. “Kind of missed that in the first little bit (of the season). Having that tonight was a very good sign. … Definitely trending in the right direction. I like where we’re at. Just have to keep pushing to lock things down.”
The Rangers’ Will Cuylle scored a breakaway off a lead pass frm Nick Bonino at 16:03 for a 4-3 lead to New York.
Panarin finished his hat trick at 4:41 of the third off a scramble for the loose puck in the crease for a5-3 advantage to the Rangers.
K’Andre Miller then made it 6-3 off a shot from the right side at 13:03.
“I liked the way we competed out there,” Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said. “Having to battle the way we did in the first period, give and take, give and take. Finally get a lead, push the lead again. I really liked the third period and the way we played it.
“You think, at 6-3, it’s over. It wasn’t over.”
The Sharks did not go quietly into the streets around MSG, San Jose potted two goals to close the gap.
Fabian Zetterlund trimmed the deficit to 6-4 at 14:38 of the third.
“Their goals, it’s a little bit too easy sometimes,” Zetterlund said. “But yeah, good push at the end. Almost there, but not good enough.”
Alexander Barabanov scored at 15:50 for the 6-5 final..
Mackenzie Blackwood made 30 saves in the loss.
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