The New York Rangers kick off their home schedule for the 2024-25 season on Saturday, hosting the Utah Hockley Club as both teams aim to maintain their undefeated statuses.
New York began their season on Wednesday with a decisive 6-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Chris Kreider scored two goals, while Artemi Panarin and Jacob Trouba contributed two assists each. Goaltender Igor Shesterkin recorded 31 saves, securing the Rangers’ first shutout in a season opener in 68 years.
Rangers coach Peter Laviolette highlighted Shesterkin’s impressive early performance, noting that the goalie made 10 saves within the first 13 minutes while the team held a 1-0 lead. The Rangers then added two goals in the last three minutes of the period and maintained control throughout the game.
Laviolette remarked, “I thought we really stepped up offensively in the last eight minutes of the first period, which carried over into the second.”
For Utah, Saturday’s matchup is the second of a four-game road trip, starting successfully with a 5-4 overtime win against the New York Islanders on Thursday. Dylan Guenther scored the winning goal with 2:42 left in overtime, marking the team’s second consecutive victory after trailing twice in the third period.
Guenther tied the game with a power-play goal midway through the third, shortly after the Islanders took the lead with a short-handed score. Maxim Tsyplakov briefly regained the lead for the Islanders, but Josh Doan’s late goal ensured Utah secured at least one point from the game. Guenther, who is tied for the league lead with four goals, emphasized the significance of their comeback early in the season.
Shesterkin, recognized as one of the elite goalies and the 2022 Vezina Trophy winner, will face a challenging matchup against Utah, which has netted 10 goals over their two wins. The team is noted for its speed, registering 55 “speed bursts” of 20 mph or more, with Guenther contributing eight of those.
Tied with St. Louis for the top spot in the Central Division with four points, Utah has also generated 18 high-danger shots on goal, which are taken from the slot area. These shots have resulted in four goals, the second-highest in the league behind the Rangers’ six.
Guenther expressed confidence in the team’s depth, stating, “We take pride in having four lines that can keep rolling and put pressure on teams. Throughout the game, we felt confident in generating opportunities, and there’s a strong belief among us in the locker room.”
