Rangers score 6, cruise past Predators for 1st home win of season

NEW YORK -- Artemi Panarin scored two goals, and the New York Rangers ended a franchise-worst seven-game home losing streak to start the season by defeating the Nashville Predators 6-3 at Madison Square Garden on Monday.

Matthew Wood scored his first NHL hat trick in a losing effort for the Predators (5-9-4).

"We feel confidence now for sure, finally," Panarin said. "It's like a bunch of pressure goes off our shoulders. It's nice to see our fans happy. It's nice to not hear the boos, finally. It's a good feeling."

Alexis Lafreniere had a goal and two assists, Vincent Trocheck had two assists in his first game since Oct. 9, and rookie forward Gabe Perreault picked up an assist for his first NHL point in his season debut for the Rangers (8-7-2), who were shut out in their past two home games.

Vladislav Gavrikov had a goal and an assist, and Igor Shesterkin made 27 saves.

Trocheck missed the past 14 games with an upper-body injury.

"'Troch' is such an important player for this team," Rangers coach Mike Sullivan said. "Just his presence alone from a leadership standpoint, his demeanor and then obviously his talent, what he does on the ice. You guys see that, but his presence alone was a huge boost for the group, especially given the circumstance at home here."

The Rangers lost their first seven home games (0-6-1), scoring six goals and getting shut out five times. They scored five goals before the second intermission Monday, with three coming on four shots in the second period.

Juuse Saros allowed five goals on 12 shots before being replaced by Justus Annunen (five saves) for the third period by the Predators, who have lost five games in a row, the past three in regulation, and eight of nine (1-6-2).

"It's gone a little too long here," Nashville defenseman Brady Skjei said. "We need to get back in the win column very soon. That's the No. 1 thing."

The Predators will try to do that next in Stockholm, where they play two games against the Pittsburgh Penguins as part of the 2025 NHL Global Series Sweden presented by Fastenal.

They departed after the game and will play the Penguins at Avicii Arena on Friday (2 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, SN-PIT, NHLN, SN) and Sunday (9 a.m. ET; FDSNSO, SN-PIT, NHLN, SN).

"It'll be a great time for our group right now to be together," Nashville coach Andrew Brunette said. "This is a great opportunity to help define the rest of the season."

Mika Zibanejad's breakaway goal, set up by a pass from Adam Fox (two assists), gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead at 10:39 of the first period and ended a home shutout streak of 140:27 dating to a 6-5 overtime loss to the San Jose Sharks on Oct. 23.

Wood tied it 1-1 at 16:16 with a double rebound power-play goal from the slot, but Gavrikov scored at 18:07 to give New York a 2-1 lead.

"I know how I felt on the bench when we scored that goal," Sullivan said. "I said, 'OK, we're going to be OK.' I just felt like from a mindset standpoint the group was in the right place, in the right headspace and that's such an important part of winning."

Lafreniere made it 3-1 with a power-play goal at 1:23 of the second period. He took a pass from Perreault, split defensemen Nicolas Hague and Spencer Stastney, deked to his backhand and slid the puck through Saros' five-hole.

Perreault was recalled from Hartford of the American Hockey League on Sunday.

"That's not an easy play and he has the capability of making those types of subtle plays that can help us," Sullivan said of Perreault.

Panarin pushed it to 4-1 at 7:51 when his one-timer from the left point got through Saros' five-hole.

Will Cuylle extended it to 5-1 at 19:50 off a 3-on-2 rush.

Wood scored again on the power play at 12:48 of the third period to cut it to 5-2. Panarin then made it 6-2 at 13:30, banking a shot in off Nashville defenseman Adam Wilsby.

Wood completed the hat trick at 19:15 for the 6-3 final.

"I feel like this group for the most part has liked the game that we're putting on the ice," Sullivan said. "We didn't always get the results, but the message has been let's continue to understand what that game looks like when we're at our best. We generate offense, we just haven't scored as many goals. Tonight we score goals. Hopefully that reinforces the process a little bit and just gives us that much more belief that if we play a certain way we can compete with any team in this league."

NOTES: Wood, the No. 15 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, became the second rookie in Predators history to have a hat trick, joining Blake Geoffrion (March 20, 2011). He is also the first rookie in team history to score multiple power-play goals in the same game. … Panarin has five points (three goals, two assists) in the past three games after going six consecutive without a point. "My confidence is OK now," he said. "Better than before." … Lafreniere recorded his first career three-point period and fourth three-point game.