In Boston, in a game closer than the 5-2 score would suggest, the New York Rangers scored three goals in the third period to take the win over the Bruins.
The Rangers swept the three-game season series from Boston.
Artemi Panarin hit for a hat trick in the win.
Jonathan Quick made 24 saves in the win, he now has a career total of 391 wins, tied with Ryan Miller for the most wins by an American-born goalie.
The Rangers improved to 46-20-4 off their sixth win in eight matches.
The Bruins took a 1-0 lead in the opening stanza on a strike by Jake DeBrusk at 8:04, scoring off a scramble and tangle of players and sticks in the front of the net.
“They played a simple game,” DeBrusk said. “It seemed like they always had numbers back, and that made it hard for us to kind of come through it if we wanted to skate. And then, we just didn’t make the right decisions at times.”
The score stayed that way into the middle frame. Panarin connected for his first two goals of the in the second period.
Panarin potted his first at 7:58 of the middle frame, scoring from the right circle after picking up an errant puck.
“Just trying to get [Panarin] out there more and more,” New York coach Peter Laviolette said. “You can just tell he’s creating every time he’s on the ice. He’s in the offensive zone, and sometimes the more he plays, the better he gets.”
Panarin collected his double when his attempted pass across the slot ticked off a Bruins’ stick and into the net for a 2-1 lead to the Rangers after 40 minutes of play.
The Bruins dropped to 41-15-15, snapping a three-game streak.
In the third period, the Bruins rallied back to tie the game, 2-2.
Justin Brazeau scored at 3:17 of the third, scoring through a melee in front of the net.
While that goal was called over the PA, Adam Fox scored off a wicked wrister from the right side, into the corner of the net for a 3-2 lead to the Rangers at 3:57 of the third.
Mika Zibanejad then it an empty net at 17:57 for a 4-2 lead to the Rangers.
“I thought a lot of our decision-making [was good],” Zibanejad said. “And just I feel like how structured we were and the way we battled. I thought first period was maybe a little bit favored to them, but second and third I thought we played really well and to come away with a win, that’s huge for us.”
Panarin collected his hats, literally, at 19:08 for the 5-2 final count on the scoreboard..
“We can just be a little smarter there in keeping the momentum our way,” Boston’s Hampus Lindholm said. “And making them [have] to chase a little bit more. I think that’s what we can learn from this game.”
Use CodePHN15 Panarin, Quick share #PHNChairoftheNight
Jeremy Swayman made 26 saves in the loss.
“You don’t want to lose, but you want to trust the process, and that’s what happened tonight,” Swayman said. “I think, again, a lot of opportunities to learn from our mistakes and move forward as a team.”
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