Daily Report – 10/20/25
Rangers
For once, the Rangers looked like the Rangers. That is not to say the 2023-24 Presidents’ Trophy-winning team is back, but this was the most energizing Rangers win since that season. Trailing 2-0 early to the Montreal Canadiens did not fluster the Rangers, as they came back to win 4-3.
With the win, the Rangers wiped away a three-game losing streak, which included two straight shutout losses and a 2-1 overtime loss. The most important thing about Saturday’s game was who scored for the Rangers. Mika Zibanejad’s vintage one-timer – the one he’s been whiffing on for years – found the net at 8:44 in the third period. The same shot cost the Rangers a win on Thursday, but it yielded a goal on Saturday against Montreal’s struggling goalie, Sam Montembeault.
“It was really easy just to kind of feel sorry for ourselves for the past few games,” said Zibanejad, who finished the night with two points. “I feel like because we’ve been getting our looks, just because we’ve been playing the way we’ve been playing, I think there’s a belief in this group that we’re right there.” Zibanejad’s 109 power play goals as a Ranger rank third in franchise history, and his 340 assist are tied for the 10th most.
Artemi Panarin was the Rangers’ best offensive player, tallying two assists along with his first goal of the season. Panarin’s prior scoreless streak was the longest to start any season of his career. “That felt like [the] first goal in my life,” Panarin said. “I was so happy.”
After missing his mark on a clean two-on-one opportunity, he scored the Rangers’ fourth goal of the game six minutes into the third period. He fired a shot in transition, and the puck clanged off the goalpost and into the net. Panarin now holds a 13-game point streak against Montreal, the fourth such streak against a single opponent in franchise history.
15 minutes into the second period, Sam Carrick burst off the bench and rammed Lane Hutson into the boards behind Montreal’s net. Hutson tried to counter-attack, but Carrick dodged his check. Hutson’s teammate, Arber Xhekaj, wasn’t pleased with how Carrick treated the reigning Calder Trophy winner, so he started fighting him. Xhekaj is bigger than Carrick, but the Rangers’ center was able to hold his own. Carrick’s efforts invigorated his bench, and it helped the Rangers turn momentum in their favor.
With one minute and 28 seconds remaining in the second period, Alexandre Carrier went to the penalty box, putting the Rangers on the power play. Zibanejad had already given them one power play tally in the first period, but after a tight, scoreless second frame, the Rangers were looking to capitalize on the Carrick’s momentum.
While they couldn’t score on the power play in the second period, JT Miller kept it alive in the third. The goal came a few seconds too late to be ruled a power-play tally, but it was generated off the power play. Alexis Lafrenière positioned himself in front of Montreal’s net. When Adam Fox received the puck from Panarin at the point, Miller positioned himself beside Lafrenière to attempt a tip-in. The screen and a pressure blinded Montembeault, and Miller deflected the puck to tie the game.
“I thought it was a real gutsy effort by the guys,” said head coach Mike Sullivan. “When you go through some of the early adversity that we’ve gone through here, I said to them after the game, ‘That game could’ve gone south fast.’”
Less than four minutes after Miller’s goal, Matthew Robertson fired a slap shot from the center of the point, and it whistled passed Montembeault for his first NHL goal. Robertson had been working hard for years to make the Rangers roster since being drafted in 2019. Injuries affected his path to the NHL, and after cracking the roster for a little while last season, he finally took advantage of the opportunity on Saturday.
“I feel like I’ve waited a long time for this now,” Robertson said. “I came into camp not knowing what to expect, and I’m just grateful for the opportunity.”
Robertson will skate in his fifth straight game tonight. Amid Carson Soucy’s return from injury, Urho Vaakanainen will be a healthy scratch as the Rangers prepare for a special Centennial theme night celebration before facing the Minnesota Wild.
Schedule
7:00 PM (6:00 PM CDT): NYR vs. MIN; MSG, Gotham Sports
7:00 PM (6:00 PM CDT): Monday Night Football (MNF), Week 7 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-1) at Detroit Lions (4-2); ESPN, ABC
10:00 PM (9:00 PM CDT): Monday Night Football (MNF), Week 7 – Houston Texans (2-3) at Seattle Seahawks (4-2); ESPN
