The New York Rangers (5-0-1) remain unbeaten in regulation after dominating the Montreal Canadiens (2-4-1) with a 7-2 victory. This win marks the Rangers as the fourth team since the 1990-91 season to score at least four goals in each of their first six games, showcasing their strong performance.
The Rangers kicked off the game with a quick goal from Mika Zibanejad just under a minute in. Adam Fox and Artemi Panarin both recorded their seventh assists of the season shortly thereafter. Jonny Brodzinski also contributed by netting his first goal of the season, supported by Adam Edstrom and Braden Schneider—demonstrating the team’s solid depth. Throughout the 2024-25 season, they’ve been largely led by their star players, with Panarin being the league’s top scorer before this matchup.
New York extended its lead in the first period with a goal from Reilly Smith, who scored his second since joining the Rangers after being traded in the 2024 offseason. Filip Chytil then added to the Rangers’ tally with a power-play goal, making it 4-0 just over eleven minutes into the game, with assists from Smith and Kaapo Kakko.
Montreal’s Nick Suzuki responded with his first goal of the season, narrowing the score to 4-1, thanks to assists from Josh Anderson and David Savard. In the second period, Suzuki struck again, scoring on the power play with help from Mike Matheson and Kirby Dach.
After that, the Canadiens were shut out for the remainder of the game. Schneider scored another goal for the Rangers, assisted by Chytil and Kakko, both of whom recorded their second points of the night.
Chytil continued his scoring streak with another power-play goal late in the game, assisted by Will Cuyle and Sam Carrick. Kakko also got on the scoreboard for the first time this season, finishing the game at 7-2. Both he and Chytil enjoyed three-point nights, with Kakko striving to prove himself on a one-year deal.
In goal, Igor Shesterkin delivered a strong performance, making 21 saves on 23 shots. Samuel Montembeault struggled, stopping only six of 10 shots before Cayden Primeau relieved him and made 31 saves on 34 shots. While Primeau conceded two late goals, his overall performance remained solid.
Looking ahead, the Rangers will play at home against the Florida Panthers on October 24 in a rematch of the Eastern Conference Final, seeking two crucial points. The Canadiens, on the other hand, will return to action on October 26 against the St. Louis Blues at the Bell Centre, hoping to end a four-game losing streak.
