Rangers dominate Penguins to start the NHL regular season on a high note

PITTSBURGH — It can’t be this easy, can it?

The Rangers opened their 2024-25 season Wednesday night in nearly perfect fashion, getting goals from all four lines and another ho-hum brilliant performance in goal from Igor Shesterkin as they dominated the Pittsburgh Penguins, 6-0, in PPG Paints Arena.

A day after the story broke that Shesterkin had rejected an eight-year, $88 million contract offer from the Rangers, the goalie made 29 saves to earn his 16th career shutout. Chris Kreider had two goals — one shorthanded — to lead an offense that also saw goals from newcomer Sam Carrick, Alexis Lafreniere, Filip Chytil and Pittsburgh native Vincent Trocheck.

The Rangers next play on Saturday at Madison Square Garden when they host the Utah Hockey Club.

In the postgame locker room, Shesterkin refused, three times, to talk about his contract. He was adamant in preferring to talk only about the events in the game.

“I don’t want to talk about my contract,’’ he said. “If you want, we can talk about our team. We played a really good game today. So . . . I can really talk about [rookie defenseman Victor] Mancini, the Laffy goal, like everything else.’’

The Lafreniere goal, which put the Rangers up 2-0 at 17:23 of the first period, was indeed a thing of beauty. The play started when Artemi Panarin backchecked and stripped Penguin center Lars Eller of the puck, then sent Lafreniere away on a counterattack. Roaring up the left wing, Lafreniere toe-dragged the puck past Penguins defenseman Marcus Pettersson, who’d dropped to the ice to  try and prevent a shot, and whipped a wrister past goalie Tristan Jarry on the stick side.

“That was pretty fun to watch, for sure,’’ fourth-line center Carrick said of the Lafreniere goal. “Pretty wild toe drag. Yeah, another guy that’s, you know, just a really special player.’’

Carrick’s goal, a deflection of a shot by Jacob Trouba [two assists], had opened the scoring at 2:24 of the first period, and given the Rangers the lead despite the fact the Penguins were peppering Shesterkin with shots on the way to building a 10-5 advantage in shots on goal.

“Pittsburgh usually plays that game [where] they try to go hard on the into net the first 10 minutes,’’ Shesterkin said. “So we did a great job in front of me. I saw every shot, except maybe, the first shot in third period, where they hit the post. So thanks to everyone.’’

After Lafreniere’s goal, Kreider banged in the rebound of Trouba’s shot by to make it 3-0 with 11.7 seconds left in the first period, and that one put the Rangers in complete control, prompting the fans to boo the Penguins off the ice at period’s end.

Chytil lifted a shot into the top stick side corner at 9:39 of the second, making it 4-0, and in the third, Kreider’s shorthanded goal and Trocheck’s goal completed the rout.

 Lindgren skates with team

Injured defenseman Ryan Lindgren skated with the team for the first time since he was hurt in a preseason fight with the Islanders’ Scott Mayfield two weeks ago. Lindgren wore a green (no-contact) jersey and a full face shield.

“It’s opening night,’’ Laviolette said when asked why Lindgren, who is on injured reserve, made the trip. “I mean, if somebody’s able to practice with us, then we want them practicing with us, as opposed to staying behind. It’s great to have him out there. It gets him back in the field of practice. And so, that’s the start of the process, the journey back.’’

 Chytil’s goal: Play all 82

Filip Chytil, who missed the last 72 games last season with what was never officially identified as a concussion, was asked what his goals are.

“My personal goal is to play 82 games [for the] first time in my life,’’ he said. “I know when I’m healthy, I can produce. I can play my game. I can make a difference in big games.’’

 Blue notes

Rookie D Victor Mancini, on getting the news that he had made the team out of training camp: “I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. Obviously, this is something that you’ve been working for since you’re a little kid But you know, this is only the beginning, right?” . . . Forward Jimmy Vesey (lower body), who is on long-term injured reserve with a lower body injury, made the trip as well, and was spotted riding a stationary bike . . . Sam Rosen, the team’s TV play-by-play man who is retiring after this season, was named the recipient of the 2024 Lester Patrick Trophy for outstanding service to hockey in the United States.

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.