K’Andre Miller had two goals and an assist and the New York Rangers beat the visiting Washington Capitals 5-1 on Wednesday night.
Artemi Panarin had a goal and an assist and Mika Zibanejad, playing in his 800th NHL game, had two assists for the Rangers, who have won five of six. Igor Shesterkin made 26 saves.
Anthony Mantha scored in his third straight game (four goals) for the Capitals, who have lost two straight. Darcy Kuemper made 26 saves.
Mantha gave the Capitals a 1-0 lead at 4:12 of the second period. He entered the zone on a two-on-one with Alex Ovechkin and scored over Shesterkin’s glove from the left circle. It was his 11th goal of the season, matching his output over 67 games last season.
The Rangers tied it at 7:03 when Miller worked a give-and-go with Zibanejad and scored on a backhand shot from the slot.
Panarin put the Rangers ahead with a power-play goal at 12:08. Vincent Trocheck passed to Panarin, who scored on a wrist shot top corner from the bottom of the right circle for his team-leading 19th goal.
The Rangers have scored at least one power-play goal in eight straight games.
Braden Schneider increased the lead to 3-1 just 40 seconds later with his third goal of the season, scoring through traffic from the center point.
Shesterkin robbed Washington rookie Ivan Miroshnichenko with a pad save early in the third.
Miller increased the lead to 4-1 at 6:54 of the third when he received a pass from Chris Kreider on the rush and scored through a screen from just above the left circle for his seventh goal of the season.
With his 10th goal this season, Alexis Lafreniere made it 5-1 at 11:15 from inside the right circle off a pass from Adam Fox.
Zibanejad shot wide on a breakaway early in the first period. Washington’s John Carlson was called for hooking on the play, but the Rangers were unable to convert during the ensuing power play.
Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba left with an upper body injury early in the second period.
–Field Level Media
