Artemi Panarin easily earns MVP against Utah Hockey Club
Despite taking a loss in the Rangers regular-season home opener, Artemi Panarin topped the statsheet with two goals — easily earning the MVP of the night.
Panarin scored two goals, one on the power play, in Saturday's 6-5 overtime loss to Utah Hockey Club
The 32-year-old logged the Rangers' first two tallies of the night in a wild affair that saw seven goals scored in the second period alone. His goals also came along with high stakes, with him firing the puck from the circle by Connor Ingram for a power-play goal, tying the game up in the second period with his second goal of the game. His first also tied up the score after he took a drop pass from Alexis Lafreniere inside the blue line, Panarin wired a shot between the defenseman’s legs and past the glove of Utah goaltender Connor Ingram.
Panarin has two goals and four points through two games to begin the season, and at 32-years-old, he's showing no early signs of regression after his career-best 49-goal, 120-point campaign in 2023-24.
This marks his second straight multi-point game of the year.
Also worth noting, this is the second time of Panarin's career he’s started the season with consecutive multi-point games. His135 multi-point games with the club have tied Vic Hadfield for 10th most in franchise history. Panarin’s first goal was his 150th goal with the Rangers, in his 352nd contest for the franchise.
Only six players reached the mark faster: Bill Cook (248 GP), Mike Gartner (257 GP), Bryan Hextall Sr. (313 GP), Phil Esposito (314 GP), Steve Vickers (345 GP) and Adam Graves (348 GP).
To be more specific — Panarin began the 2023-24 season with a 15-game point streak (10 goals, 16 assists) to set a Rangers record for the longest run to open a season (Rod Gilbert, 14 games in 1972-73).
Panarin found his home with the Rangers on July 1, 2019, when he signed a seven-year, $81.5 million contract. The Russia native recently played in the 2023 NHL All-Star Game.
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Up Next
The New York Rangers host the Detroit Red Wings tomorrow — Monday, Oct. 14, after Artemi Panarin's two-goal game against the Utah Hockey Club in the Rangers' 6-5 overtime loss. Puck drop is slated for 7 p.m. sharp.
Detroit had a 41-32-9 record overall and an 18-19-4 record on the road last season. The Red Wings scored 275 total goals last season (63 power-play goals and seven shorthanded goals).