Zibanejad scores in 3rd to lift Rangers past Coyotes, 3-2
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Mika Zibanejad broke a tie in the third period, Artemi Panarin had a goal and two assists and the New York Rangers kept the Arizona Coyotes winless at Mullett Arena with a 3-2 victory Sunday night.
The Coyotes couldn’t capitalize on a raucous crowd in the opener at the 5,000-seat Arizona State University arena Friday night, losing 3-2 to Winnipeg in overtime.
New York pressured Arizona early despite playing the night before and went up on Alexis Lafreniere’s second-period goal. The Coyotes responded quickly on goals by Lawson Crouse and Nick Bjugstad, but the Rangers ramped up the pressure again.
Panarin scored late in the second period and Zibanejad flipped in his sixth goal of the season over Connor Ingram on a power play with seven minutes left. Igor Shesterkin stopped 18 shots for the Rangers.
Ingram had 36 saves in his third start of the season.
The Rangers had the early jump despite playing in Dallas the night before, spending long stretches with the puck in Arizona’s end.
Ingram saw the puck and moved well in his first start at The Mullett, turning away a flurry of shots on a power play midway through. He also splayed out to stop Vincent Trocheck on a breakaway shortly after that.
Shesterkin made a couple of tough saves early, but wasn’t tested much later in the period.
New York kept up the pressure early in the first period and scored when Lafreniere slipped in behind Ingram for a one-timer on a pass from Panarin in the right circle.
Lawson tied it on a power play a few minutes later, beating Shesterkin glove side on a feed from Dylan Guenther.
BJugstad put Arizona up 2-1 on a flip shot past Shesterkin after New York defenseman Ryan Lindgren whiffed trying to clear a rebound.
Panarin tied it late in the second period, flipping a sharp-angle shot between Ingram’s left shoulder and the post.
NOTES: New York F Vitali Kravtsov did not play after slamming hard into the boards against Dallas on Saturday. ... Coyotes F Nick Schmaltz missed his seventh straight game with an upper-body injury. ... Rangers C Filip Chytil missed his fourth straight game with an upper-body injury.
MORE: Jets beat Coyotes 3-2 in overtime to spoil Mullett debut
UP NEXT
Rangers: Hosts Philadelphia on Tuesday night.
Coyotes: Hosts Florida on Tuesday night.