NEW YORK (AP) — Alexis Lafreniere scored the tiebreaking goal early in the third period and added two assists, Louis Domingue made 26 saves in his first NHL game in nearly 18 months, and the New York Rangers beat the Minnesota Wild 4-1 on Thursday night.
Vincent Trocheck also had a goal and two assists, Artemi Panarin had a goal and an assist, and Blake Wheeler also scored as the Rangers won for the eighth time in nine games. Their only loss in that stretch was a shootout defeat at Minnesota last Saturday.
Brandon Duhaime scored for the Wild, and Marc-Andre Fleury finished with 24 saves. Minnesota snapped a two-game win streak and lost for the fifth time in seven games (2-4-1).
Lafreniere finished off a pretty passing play with Panarin to score his fifth goal of the season at 1:41 of the third. Panarin’s assist extended his season-starting points streak to 13 games, one shy of the Rangers’ franchise record set by Rod Gilbert in 1972-73.
Wheeler had a power-play goal with 5:21 left — his first goal since joining the Rangers in the offseason — to make it 3-1 before Panarin completed the scoring with an empty-net goal.
The Rangers are 15 for 42 on the power play this season.
Trocheck opened the scoring, rifling a high shot past Marc-Andre Fleury at 3:56 of the first period. It was Trocheck’s fourth goal of the season and third in two games. Defenseman Erik Gustafsson had an assist on the play for his 200th career point.
Duhaime tied it with 7:27 left in the second with his third goal of the season, deflecting a shot past Domingue.
Domingue, who last appeared for Pittsburgh against the Rangers in the first round of the 2022 playoffs, started with both Igor Shesterkin and backup Jonathan Quick nursing injuries and not in uniform. Rookie Dylan Garland, also summoned from AHL Hartford, was the backup.
The 31-year-old Domingue became the first right-handed catching goaltender to play for the team since Glen Hanlon (1982-86).
In the third, Domingue made a glove save on Vinni Lettieri during the Rangers’ power-play and Domingue heard fans at Madison Square Garden chanting “Louie, Louie” late in the game when he denied former Ranger Mats Zuccarello.
