In New York, Alexis Lafreniere scored the decisive goal early in the third period, while Igor Shesterkin made 20 saves to help the New York Rangers secure a 3-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Monday night, snapping a four-game losing streak. Lafreniere’s goal, his fifth of the season, came just 40 seconds into the final period, beating Blues goalie Joel Hofer.
Vincent Trocheck and Adam Edstrom also contributed goals for the Rangers, who won only their second home game in ten tries at Madison Square Garden this season, now sitting at a 2-7-1 home record. Vladislav Gavrikov and Adam Fox each assisted twice. For St. Louis, Dylan Holloway and Brayden Schenn scored, with Hofer making 17 saves.
Holloway opened the scoring late in the first period. Trocheck leveled the score in the second period after receiving a pass from Johnny Brodzinski, marking Trocheck’s fourth goal of the season. After Lafreniere gave the Rangers a 2-1 lead, Edstrom extended it with 11:04 remaining in the third period. Schenn cut the deficit to 3-2 with just 1:15 left in the game.
During the match, the Rangers served a four-minute high-sticking penalty. Brett Berard made his season debut, having been recalled from the AHL’s Hartford team. The Rangers, playing without their injured captain JT Miller for the second consecutive game, remain at the bottom of the Metropolitan Division with a record of 11-12-2.
Looking ahead, the Blues will wrap up a five-game road trip on Wednesday against New Jersey, while the Rangers face Carolina on the same day.
Fan Take: This victory is crucial for the Rangers as it could boost their morale after a tough losing streak and poor home record, signaling a potential turning point this season. For hockey fans, games like this highlight the intense competition and resilience needed to push through adversity in the NHL, keeping the sport exciting and unpredictable.
