Rangers cruise past Devils for ninth straight win

Alexis Lafreniere scored twice and Igor Shesterkin made 39 saves as the New York Rangers extended their winning streak to a season-high nine games with a 5-1 rout of the New Jersey Devils Thursday night in Newark, N.J.

Lafreniere notched his fourth career multi-goal game and second this season by scoring late in the first and second periods. Mika Zibanejad scored a power-play goal, Chris Kreider and Vincent Trocheck also scored and Artemi Panarin added three assists after being questionable with a lower-body injury as the Rangers beat the Devils for the second time this season.

Shesterkin won his fifth straight start and helped the Rangers win nine straight for the first time since Oct. 25-Nov. 15, 2015.

He was particularly strong during five New Jersey power plays. Shesterkin made 12 saves while the Rangers were short-handed, including five early in the first period when rookie defenseman Matt Rempe was ejected with a match penalty for a hit on Nathan Bastian.

Shesterkin also contributed his third career assist on Kreider's goal midway through the second period.

New Jersey goalie Nico Daws allowed five goals on 18 shots and Jack Hughes ended Shesterkin's shutout bid with 2:07 left in the third.

The Devils fell to 9-11-2 in their past 22 since winning three straight from Dec. 23-29. New Jersey failed to score on the power play is now 2-for-46 on the man advantage over its past 14 contests.

Five seconds after Shesterkin drew a slashing penalty on Curtis Lazar for a dust-up in the crease, the Rangers went ahead with 10:46 remaining in the first.

After Trocheck won an offensive zone faceoff from Erik Haula, Zibanejad tried to pass to Kreider near the net. The puck caromed off New Jersey defenseman John Marino's skate to Zibanejad. Zibanejad tapped the puck by Daws and it banked in off the right post for his 19th goal.

On a 4-on-4, the Rangers took a 2-0 lead when Lafreniere scored from up close after Jonny Brodzinski forced the puck off Luke Hughes' stick in the right corner.

In the second period, Shesterkin banked a pass from behind the net off the side boards to Panarin, and Kreider finished off a 2-on-1 with 10:07 remaining.

Lafreniere made it 4-0 by scoring on a breakaway with 40 seconds remaining in the second, and Trocheck scored his 20th with 5:31 left in the third.