BOSTON – Chris Kreider scored his 14th goal as team leader, Artemi Panarin had an assist in his first game since leaving the team, and the New York Rangers beat Boston Bruins 4-0 on Saturday to end a three-game losing streak. consecutive.
Panarin stepped down on February 22 after a Russian tabloid published allegations by a former coach that he attacked a woman in Latvia almost a decade ago, which Panarin denies. His return clearly provided a ride to New York.
“You put him in the squad and then it looks like we have more arrogance,” said Rangers coach David Quinn.
The Rangers were 4-5 while he was away. Consistency has been a struggle for Rangers this season, with and without Panarin, and even with him back on the roster, the playoffs can be a reach. Boston now holds fourth place in the East, with 32 points, and has one game less against Rangers, who are seven points away.
But they looked sharp on Saturday. Keith Kinkaid stopped 18 kicks in his first shutout since 2018. Ryan Strome, Pavel Buchnevich and K’Andre Miller each scored for New York, who lost 4-0 in Boston on Thursday. Mika Zibanejad added two assists and Kreider one.
“It was definitely a big boost to bring him back,” said Zibanejad of Panarin. “Not just for the game, but for the locker room.”
Jaroslav Halak made 29 saves for the Bruins, who have lost eight of their last 12 games.
“Do you see a game like that and it’s like, ‘Are we tired or out of shape?'” Said Boston coach Bruce Cassidy. “In the end, I think there are a number of things. But it is unacceptable – the effort has to be there every day. What is most disappointing today was the effort.”
The Rangers said the story about Panarin was made up and that it was designed to intimidate him for his political views against Russian President Vladimir Putin. His former Kontinental Hockey League coach Andrei Nazarov said he was motivated to talk about the alleged incident because he disagreed with Panarin’s criticism of the Russian government.
Playing in only his fourth game this season, 31-year-old Kinkaid was hardly tested, as the Rangers managed to get most of the lost discs, limiting the Bruins’ invasions and the ability to control the disc in the offensive zone.
In the end, a Rangers player could be heard shouting, “It’s a boy, Keith!”
Remembered from the taxi squad on March 6, when Igor Shesterkin was injured, Kinkaid played in relief on Thursday, stopping all 13 shots. On Saturday, he saw only 11 goals in the first two periods.
“I am very happy to be able to have some NHL games again to prove my worth,” he said, smiling.
Boston striker Jake DeBrusk, who scored a goal on Thursday after being placed on the bench and asked for his move this season by Cassidy, lost the game because he was in the COVID-19 protocol.
Coming out of a mediocre effort when they were decidedly defeated on Thursday, the Rangers were ready from the start, beating Bruins early, and controlled most of the first two periods.
“We have to find a way to link some of those games,” said Zibanejad.
Miller from the right spot bounced off the net from the far post, making it 1-0 with just 3 minutes and 6 seconds of play.
“I don’t think we can sustain our game,” said Boston striker Nick Ritchie. “We couldn’t tilt the ice. It was a long game.”
Kreider’s goal was 2-0 in the second period, when he scored a pass from Zibanejad in the right corner after the puck slid through the slot, passing Jarred Tinordi’s diving attempt stick to block it.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.