In New York, the frustration of a lost season for the visiting New Jersey Devils boiled over with all of two seconds elapsed on the game clock on Wednesday night. 
The Rangers were no shrinking violets either.
A line brawl marred the opening of the match with five skaters from each team being assessed five-minute majors as well as a host of 10-minute misconducts and game misconducts.
There was a line brawl off the opening face-off resulting in all 10 skaters getting five-minute fighting majors and eight getting game misconducts, leaving the teams with 14 skaters per side.
“I had no idea that was going to happen,” Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said. “It was just kind of a spur of the moment thing.”
From the Rangers, Jacob Trouba, K’Andre Miller, Barclay Goodrow and Matt Rempe received game misconducts.
“Our guys were reacting to what was happening on the ice,” Laviolette said. “I thought they did a fantastic job, all five of them.”
From New Jersey, Kurtis MacDermid, Chris Tierney, Kevin Bahl and John Marino were banished form the game.
“We’re not trying to make a mockery out there, it’s just guys having each other’s backs,” the Rangers’ Adam Fox said. “I think everyone did a great job of stepping up for each other.”
Leave the mockery to the New Jersey Devils.
New Jersey felt some need to open the game in this fashion for a hit Rempe put on a teammate in the last match.
It really never got better. The Rangers amassed a total of 78 PIMs while New Jersey collected 88.
As for the game itself, Chris Kreider hit off the power play with 4:57 left on the game clock to snap a 3-3 tie and send New York to a 4-3 win, and a sweep of the season series with New Jersey.
“We went down 3-2 and you now have to dig in in the last 20 minutes and make sure you win that game,” Laviolette said. “I really liked the third, liked the way we responded to that.”
The Rangers had taken a 2-0 lead into the middle frame, but let New Jersey take control of the second period with a three-goal surge for a 3-2 lead headed to the third period.
Igor Shesterkin made 17 saves in the win.
The Rangers improved to 51-21-4 off their eighth win in 10 matches.
Artemi Panarin scored midway through the opening stanza to stake the Rangers to a 1-0 lead. Panarin scored off a nifty pass from Alexis Lafreniere who had collected a rebound before passing to it off. Panarin one-timed it from the left circle for the lead.
The goal was challenged for offsides, but review of the play confirmed the strike.
Lafreniere then pushed the lead to 2-0 when he banged home a loose puck in the crease at 18:03.
New Jersey dropped to .500 at 36-36-4 off their third straight loss, and fourth in six matches.
With the regulation loss, New Jersey is still six points back of the Washington Capitals for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference.
“Especially when you have four defensemen, you’ve got guys who haven’t killed penalties before trying to kill penalties, we played last night, guys were tired,” New Jersey interim coach Travis Green said. “It was a good effort by our group.”
In the middle frame, New Jersey took a 3-2 lead with push.
The Rangers laid back, and New Jersey capitalized with Ondrej Palat breaking through at 2:11 of the middle frame to make it, 2-1.
Brendan Smith hit at 9:53 to tie the game, 2-2..
Nico Hischier scored at 11:24 to send the game to the third with the Rangers trailing, 3-2. .
“There was a little bit of a letdown after the first period,” Laviolette said. “You’re up 2-0, you’re back on the ice thinking it’s over and they’re fighting for their lives out there, New Jersey. They’re scraping for points, and they proved that in the second period.”
In the third, the Rangers tightened up on the defensive end, and did not allow much offense, giving up only eight shots on goal.
“I think we lulled ourselves to sleep and weren’t really playing the way we wanted to play in the second,” Kreider said. “We were able to get back into it.”
Kaapo Kakko tied the game, 3-3, at 5:32, scoring on a rush up ice after taking the puck away from a New Jersey defenseman at the blue line, scoring off a wicked shot from the left circle
“Our guys, they stuck together tonight,” Laviolette said. “In the end, the guys on the ice in the third period fought hard for the guys who fought early. So, it was a positive. At the end, it’s a real positive night for us.”
The Rangers have a five point lead over the Carolina Hurricanes for the top of the Metropolitan Division, the Canes now have a game in hand.
Use CodePHN15 The #PHNChairoftheNight goes to Kaapo Kakko for his game-tying goal in the third period after taking the puck away from Luke Hughes
Kaapo Kahkonen made 37 saves in the loss.
“A little bit unlucky in the third,” New Jersey coach Travis Green said. “We’re in the offensive zone looking to score a goal and break a stick. And they score a power-play goal.”
The game was chaos after the line brawl and fights later in the middle frame.
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