Igor Shesterkin made 34 saves as the New York Rangers downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1 on Saturday.
Chris Kreider, with two, Alexis Lafreniere and Artemi Panarin scored for New York (4-0-1). Mika Zibanejad and Reilly Smith each had a pair of assists.
Auston Matthews responded for Toronto (3-2-0). Anthony Stolarz stopped 25 shots.
Shesterkin made several big saves throughout the night, including ones from John Tavares and a pair from William Nylander.
Matthews, who led the NHL with 69 goals last season, broke the Russian netminder's bid in the third period when he scored his second of 2024-25 to cut New York's lead to 2-1 before Kreider and Panarin scored on the empty network.
The game featured two of the league's heavyweights: Leafs winger Ryan Reaves and his Rangers counterpart Matt Rempe, who had a memorable fight at the Scotiabank Enviornment last season, but the hard-hitting forwards did not drop the gloves.
CONCLUSIONS
The Leafs snapped an 0-for-9 skid on the power play with two goals against the Los Angeles Kings in Wednesday's 6-2 win, but faltered against the Rangers to fall to 2-for-16 in 2024-25.
The Rangers have won their first three road games to start a season for just the third time in franchise history, and for the first time in 92 years. New York also accomplished the feat in 1927-28 and 1931-32.
KEY MOMENT
Leafs forward Max Domi wasted a prime opportunity to shoot on a 3-on-1 in the second before Kreider made it 2-0 moments later with a delayed penalty after a deft pass from Zibanejad.
KEY STATISTICS
Lafreniere has at least one point in each of his first five games to start 2024-25, tying Tomas Sandstrom (1986-87) and Mike McEwen (1978-79) for the second-longest point streak to start the season. season for a 23-year-old Rangers player. or younger. Darren Turcotte (1990-91) tops the list with an 11-game streak.
UP NEXT
Maple Leafs: Conclude a four-game homestand on Monday against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Rangers: End a three-game road streak on Tuesday when they visit the Montreal Canadiens.
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