In Pittsburgh, Johnathan Quick continued his hot start with the New York Rangers on Wednesday night with 32 saves in a 1-0 shutout of the Penguins.
“Every night we’re just trying to get wins. So, collect points,” Quick said. “It’s a long year. We’ve been doing a great job of that early in the season. We’ll continue putting our best foot forward and try to collect as many points as possible.”
The defensive effort erased the nasty taste of the third period collapse in Dallas on Monday night.
The Rangers improved to 13-3-1.
“It was a really good division game,” Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said. “I thought our guys came out really well, did a really good job, especially in the first period, getting right back on it. Got ourselves a lead and continued to push.
Alexis Lafreniere was the game’s lone striker. His goal came with just under six minutes gone in the first period off a turnover at the center line.
Mike Zibanejad picked up the puck and fed Lafreniere a lead pass in te neutral zone, he skated in, and scored off a nifty backhand for the game’s goal, and 1-0 final
“It’s pretty good, but can still, I think, play better and a more complete game,” Lafreniere said. “When you work at practice and in games, I think everything is going to be pretty good after.”
Pittsburgh dropped to 9-9-0.
“Not going the way we want,” Pittsburgh’s Erik Karlsson said. “At least today, we got ourselves some opportunities. Couldn’t find a way to break them down. There are various reasons for that. But we’re going to keep pounding at it. We’ve got everything that we need. Now, we’ve just got to find a way to make it all work and execute a lot better.”
The Pens were scoreless in five power play chances.
“These guys, they care an awful lot, have a lot of pride,” Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said. “When it doesn’t go their way, they put a lot of pressure on themselves to make it work. I think that was a little bit of the case. I think we were forcing it.
“Because we were forcing it, we looked robotic instead of just instinctive.”
Tristan Jarry made 35 saves in the loss.
“It was one of those nights where the puck just wouldn’t go in the net,” Jarry said. “It’s tough when that happens. We just have to keep putting pucks to the net. We have to keep going there. I think a couple will go in for us next time.”
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