Rangers jolt Lightning, set franchise mark for hottest start

TAMPA, Fla. — Things are looking up for the Rangers in the New Year.

Never has there been a more winning Blueshirts team at this point in a season than this one, which picked up its franchise-best 25th victory through 35 games with an assertive 5-1 thrashing of the Lightning on Saturday night at Amalie Arena.

The Rangers have become a team that bounces back from losses with vengeance.

Losing is offensive to this group, and it must always be rectified immediately.

That is how the Rangers go about their business nowadays. That is also one of many promising habits developed under new leadership from head coach Peter Laviolette.

Improving to 9-1 after losses and 6-0 in the second game of back-to-back tilts this season, the Rangers will finish 2023 with a record of 53-19-8 and a Stanley Cup drought that will balloon to 30 years once the clock strikes midnight Sunday.

From their body of work so far this season, however, it is clear Lord Stanley could be in reach with a few additional pieces.

The Rangers came out flying with the vibrations of dueling chants reverberating around the arena. Transitioning up and down the ice in the blink of an eye, the Rangers beat the Lightning to puck after puck.

They were shifty in the offensive zone.

Players without the puck never stopped moving.

Everybody was pushing in one direction, and that was into the back of the Lightning’s net.

Plus, Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin was near the top of his game in what became his fifth straight win after an 0-3 stretch.

Defending a 2-0 lead at the start of the second period, the Rangers weathered the first real momentum swing for Tampa in the back half of the frame. Up until that point, the Rangers largely dominated in all three zones and had a firm grip on the game.

When Braden Schneider was penalized for roughing in some extracurricular activities after the whistle, the Lightning made quick work of the power play. Shesterkin made three dynamic saves before Nikita Kucherov got his team on the board.

That hold on the game, however, still remained with the Rangers.

Less than a minute later, Chris Kreider buried a 2-on-1 feed from Vincent Trocheck to regain the two-goal lead.

Artemi Panarin continued his Hart Trophy campaign with his second hat trick of the month, including the last two scores in the third period.

After flashing some ridiculous hands to get around Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman, the star Russian sniped one past Andrei Vasilevskiy. He then capped the scoring on the power play.

Panarin, Vincent Trocheck and Alexis Lafreniere set the tone for the Rangers by producing two goals through their first four shifts to give the visitors a 2-0 lead by the 7:36 mark of the first period.

Less than two minutes into the game, Trocheck won a loose-puck battle in the neutral zone against Hedman to carry it into the offensive zone before dishing to Panarin.

Trocheck later jammed a rebound home off a Jacob Trouba shot while battling around the net.

The Lightning nearly cut the Rangers’ lead in half toward the end of the period when Shesterkin made the initial save on a long shot and was drawn out of position. Michael Eyssimont put in a wraparound as Tanner Jeannot made contact with Shesterkin in the blue crease.

Shesterkin was furious and immediately motioned to the referees. The Rangers challenged for goaltender interference and it was ultimately overturned.

Luck hasn’t always been on the Rangers’ side this season, but hard work has.

The competitive fire that fuels the Rangers has been regularly fanned by Laviolette.

The Rangers will look to make 2024 their year.