DETROIT — The Detroit Red Wings got off to a quick start, drawing an early 5-on-3 power play and keeping the New York Rangers without a shot for the first eight minutes of the game. Coach Peter Laviolette liked that his team wasn’t fazed by the early adversity.
“I thought we tightened up really well defensively and, offensively, continued to push,” he said.
The results were exactly what New York wanted. Behind an Artemi Panarin hat trick, a 3-for-4 effort on the power play and a solid season debut from goalie Jonathan Quick, the Rangers won 5-2, improving to 3-0-1 on the young season. Here are four takeaways from the game.
Quick looks strong in first game
Quick had to come through for the Rangers early as the Red Wings pushed for the first chunk of the game. He made 10 saves in the first 11 minutes.
“Him keeping it 0-0 early was huge,” Vincent Trocheck said.
Detroit’s best scoring chances came on the 5-on-3, but the Wings weren’t able to get a shot off. Alex DeBrincat had an open net during that stretch but couldn’t get a shot on net from an odd angle.
The Rangers goalie continued his solid play when the score got out of hand. He halted a solid Ben Chiarot attempt early in the third, then 11 more in the period. The goals against were hard to blame on him. The Red Wings scored early in the second after nifty puck movement between Lucas Raymond, J.T. Compher and Mo Seider, who wristed in a dangerous look from the slot. Then, with under four minutes to go, the Rangers left Compher alone in front of the net on the power play and Chiarot found him for a goal.
Quick was a massive luxury as the Rangers’ No . 2 last season, posting a .911 save percentage in 27 games. Thursday was an encouraging start to his 2024-25 campaign. He finished the night with 29 saves on 31 Red Wings shots.
“All the way through he was on point,” Laviolette said. “I thought he played a fantastic game. That’s what you get with someone of his pedigree, a guy who has won championships and played as long as he has.”
Panarin continues hot start with hat trick
It took a while for the Rangers to get their first shot of the game, but Panarin made the most of it. Trocheck found him with a backdoor pass in the first period, and he finished past Cam Talbot to give the Rangers an early lead.
His second goal of the period came on the power play. He lasered a snap shot over Talbot’s blocker into the top corner of the net. The Russian winger completed the hat trick midway through the second period, beating Talbot with a slap shot on the power play.
“Pretty much every game I’m impressed with him,” Trocheck said. “When he has the puck, the show is on. Tonight was a fun display.”
Panarin is up to 11 points in four games. Per Rangers PR, he’s the first player in franchise history to have multiple points in each of the team’s first four games.
Trocheck, Panarin’s center, assisted all three of Panarin’s goals and scored a goal himself on a second-period power play, tipping a shot in from — who else? — Panarin.
Victor Mancini gets first NHL goal
Rookie defenseman Mancini nearly had his first NHL goal against Utah on Saturday, but it was called back for goaltender interference on Matt Rempe. A little home-state luck helped Mancini, who grew up in Saginaw, Michigan, finally get on the board Thursday. Kaapo Kakko moved the puck to him at the blue line in the second period and he wristed it on net. Talbot couldn’t get across his crease in time, causing Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde to pull him in favor of Alex Lyon.
Mancini, meanwhile, dropped to a knee and punched the air in celebration.
“Little bit of disbelief, just emotion, happiness,” he said. “Words can’t really describe it, especially doing it in Michigan, too.”
“It’s awesome,” Trocheck said. “Those are memories you never forget. In his hometown team arena, it’s a pretty cool experience.”
The 22-year-old admitted with a laugh that, after the past goaltender interference overturn, he was a little nervous until he got confirmation the goal was good.
“Glad this one counted,” he said.
Mancini had his mom and one grandmother at the game, as well as a combination of cousins, aunts, uncles and friends.
“That was for them,” he said.
Defensive decision looms
Ryan Lindgren skated again in a full-contact jersey Thursday and appears to be nearing a return from an upper-body injury sustained in the preseason. The Rangers have two options when he comes back. They could waive Chad Ruhwedel and keep both Mancini and Zac Jones on the NHL roster, or they could send Mancini, who is waiver-exempt, back to the minors.
The latter feels most likely. Keeping Mancini in the NHL only makes sense if he’s going to get consistent ice time, which he likely wouldn’t unless Laviolette wants him playing over Jones. The Rangers almost certainly wouldn’t put Jones on waivers — he’s far more likely to get claimed than Ruhwedel — so he’d have to be a healthy scratch if Mancini stays in the lineup with Lindgren back.
(Top photo of Artemi Panarin: Rick Osentoski / Imagn Images)
