In a dominant performance, the New York Rangers secured a resounding 5-0 victory over the Ottawa Senators. Igor Shesterkin stood tall in goal, recording 20 saves and earning his third shutout of the season. Key contributions came from Alexis Lafreniere, who netted a goal along with an assist, and Arthur Kaliyev, who scored his second goal after being claimed off waivers from Los Angeles. The Rangers extended their strong form to 7-1-3 since early January, with three consecutive wins at home.
After Lafreniere's opening goal at 18:48 of the first period, Kaliyev doubled the lead early in the second, despite having another goal disallowed for offside. The Senators had a good run leading up to this game, going 5-0-1 in their previous six games, but were unable to keep pace with the relentless Rangers. Matt Rempe found the net in the third for his first goal this season, followed by Artemi Panarin and Will Cuylle to seal the deal.
Defensively, the Rangers shored up their play with Adam Fox contributing two assists, surpassing Hall of Famer Harry Howell on the franchise's list for points by a defenseman. Looking ahead, the Rangers will host the Philadelphia Flyers, while the Senators will visit the Boston Bruins.
