Rangers cruise past Red Wings thanks to Artemi Panarin's hat trick

DETROIT — At Thursday’s morning skate at Little Caesars Arena, Rangers coach Peter Laviolette spoke about how much he likes it when his team gets to play consecutive games against the same team.

He had to like it that much more Thursday night. His team turned in a complete performance in a thoroughly dominant 5-2 victory over the Red Wings, giving the Rangers a sweep of the two-game set after Monday’s 4-1 win.

“Yeah, I mean, it was good,’’ said Laviolette, who added that he especially liked the fact that the Rangers had to weather an early storm in the first part of the first period before Artemi Panarin and the power play took over the game.

Panarin had a hat trick and goalie Jonathan Quick had a solid performance (29 saves) in his first game of the season. The power play went 3-for-4, the penalty kill was 4-for-5 and rookie defenseman Victor Mancini scored the first goal of his NHL career (this one counted) as the Rangers kicked off a three-game road trip that will continue Saturday in Toronto.

“I think tonight was our day, it looked like,’’ Panarin said. “Just, everything went in. And then the ‘D’ zone, we were playing very well. I don’t want to say too much right now . . . It could be just one game when we played [well].’’

Panarin, who also had an assist, became the first player in Rangers history to open a season by scoring multiple points in each of the first four games. He has five goals and six assists.

His achievement was news to him.

“I didn’t know that,’’ he said. “So yeah, it’s awesome. I’ll try to keep going, but thanks for my teammates.’’

His centerman, Vincent Trocheck, had a goal and three assists. Defenseman Adam Fox also had three assists, but Panarin and Mancini were the stars of the show.

Panarin’s first goal came on the Rangers’ first shot on goal of the game, at 8:30 of the first period, and came 1:05 after Fox exited the penalty box after serving his slashing penalty. Fox’s penalty had come with the Rangers already on the penalty kill and had given Detroit a five-on-three advantage for 42 seconds.

Panarin’s second goal, at 15:39 of the first period, was the first power-play tally. He scored his third goal at 11:42 of the second period. In between his second and third tallies were goals by Moritz Seider at 1:27 of the second period (which briefly pulled Detroit within 2-1) and Trocheck, who tipped in Panarin’s shot from the slot to make it 3-1 at 8:46.

Mancini’s goal — with his mother, grandmother and plenty of family and friends from his hometown of Saginaw, Michigan, in the stands — came at 12:20 of the second period and made it 5-1.

Mancini was asked what went through his mind when he saw the puck go in.

“A little bit of disbelief, just emotion, happiness . . . joy,’’ he said. “Yeah, words can’t really describe it. Especially doing it in Michigan, too, was awesome.’’

It appeared Mancini had scored his first NHL goal in Saturday’s 6-5 overtime loss to Utah, but that one was disallowed because it was ruled that Matt Rempe was in the goal crease and interfered with the goaltender.

On this goal, forward Will Cuylle was in the goal crease, but he was off to the side, and the referees did not feel as if he interfered with goaltender Cam Talbot.

Mancini said he was a little nervous for a moment.

“A little bit, yeah,’’ he said with a laugh. “I’m glad this one counted.’’

Notes & quotes: Filip Chytil won 9 of 14 faceoffs and had an assist . . . Cuylle and Trocheck tied for the team high in hits with five. Trocheck won 10 of 17 faceoffs . . . Rempe and D Chad Ruhwedel were scratched.

By Colin Stephenson

colin.stephenson@newsday.comColinSNewsday

Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.