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NEW YORK — The New York Rangers have been on a mission since falling to the New Jersey Devils within the opening spherical of the playoffs final spring. They responded by ending with the NHL’s finest regular-season report.
Artemi Panarin had a purpose and an help, Igor Shesterkin made 26 saves for his fourth shutout of the season and the New York Rangers beat the Ottawa Senators 4-0 on Monday night time to clinch the Presidents’ Trophy.
Jack Roslovic, Adam Fox and Alexis Lafreniere additionally scored and Chris Kreider had two assists because the Rangers received their league-best fifty fifth recreation and completed with 114 factors — each franchise information — and may have home-ice benefit all through the playoffs.
New York received for the fifth time in seven video games and went 26-7-1 in its previous 34 video games. It beforehand received the Presidents’ Trophy in 1991-92, 1993-94 — when it received the Stanley Cup the one time since 1940 — and 2014-15.
“Clearly it is an accomplishment,” Rangers captain Jacob Trouba mentioned. “Now it is a fast flip of the web page and we prepare for the actual stuff.”
4 groups — Washington, Detroit, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia — are nonetheless in rivalry to complete within the second wild card and meet the Rangers within the opening spherical of the postseason. The Rangers had 107 factors final yr however had been eradicated in seven video games within the first spherical by the second-place Devils.
“They have been there all yr. The workforce performed effectively. They competed exhausting,” Rangers coach Peter Laviolette mentioned. “We’re a bunch that seems like once they put their tools on, they’ll win … Now you are heading into why you probably did all that work, the primary spherical of the playoffs.”
Roslovic, acquired from Columbus on March 8, scored his third purpose with the Rangers and ninth general this season at 5:55 of the primary, beating Ottawa goalie Joonas Korpisalo by ending off a 2-on-1 passing play with Kreider.
“It feels good. I am glad to contribute,” Roslovic mentioned. “It is a particular time to have the ability to are available in and be a serving to hand.”
Fox put the Rangers forward 2-0 with a short-handed purpose at 8:58 of the second. Fox finessed a cross from Kreider previous Korpisalo for his seventeenth purpose of the season with Kaapo Kakko — taking part in his three hundredth NHL recreation — within the penalty field for slashing. Fox has probably the most objectives by a Rangers defenseman since Brian Leetch scored 21 in 2000-01.
“Realizing what was on the road tonight was a great way to finish our season,” Fox mentioned. “It has been a full workforce effort with everybody chipping in. We did a great job a bearing down tonight and the group was into it.”
Panarin made it 3-0 together with his forty ninth purpose at 4:34 of the third. Panarin completed with 120 factors — second most in Rangers historical past to Jaromir Jagr’s 123 in 2005-06 — and with factors in a franchise-record 67 of his 82 video games this season.
With the Backyard crowd chanting “MVP, MVP” attempting to exhort their star, Panarin had an opportunity to attain his fiftieth purpose with a late Rangers energy play, however Korpisalo denied him twice. The 32-year-old Russian ahead had seven pictures on purpose. He smiled when requested to evaluate his 120-point season and his 17 pictures makes an attempt in Monday’s recreation.
“A number of issues, companions, teaching employees — the entire workforce,” Panarin cited as causes for his finest statistical yr. “Fairly enjoyable season. It is good to have that have however there is not any time to calm down.”
Lafreniere elevated the result in 4-0 with seven minutes remaining within the third together with his twenty eighth, concluding a fairly setup from Panarin and defenseman Erik Gustafsson.
Kreider completed with 75 factors, together with 39 objectives, for the second-highest factors complete of his profession.
Shesterkin received seven of his previous 9 begins to complete the common season at 36-17-2. In 22 video games since Feb. 12, the 28-year-old Russian netminder was 16-5-1 with 4 shutouts.
The Rangers completed 30-11-0 at dwelling, successful 15 of their previous 19 at Madison Sq. Backyard. The 30 dwelling wins tied the 1970-71 squad for many in franchise historical past.
The Senators will miss the playoffs for the seventh straight season. The final time Ottawa reached the postseason was in 2017 when it defeated the Rangers in six video games in a second-round sequence.
“We gave them the primary two objectives. Take these two objectives apart and it is a fairly good recreation,” Senators interim coach Jacques Martin mentioned. “They’ve a great workforce. We battled exhausting. While you play these good groups, you may’t afford to offer them freebies.”
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