Rangers beat Ducks 5-2 for sixth straight home win to open season
Sean Durzi scored after 78 seconds and Dylan Garand made 29 saves as New York extended its unbeaten home start against Anaheim.
The New York Rangers beat the Anaheim Ducks 5-2 at Madison Square Garden on Monday, October 19, improving to 6-0-0 at home to start the season, according to the Associated Press. Sean Durzi scored 78 seconds into the game and Dylan Garand made 29 saves, giving New York its sixth home win months earlier in the season than it reached that mark last year.
Oliver Bjorkstrand scored twice for the Rangers. Captain J.T. Miller and Gabe Perreault also scored, while Alexis Lafrenière recorded two assists, AP reported. Anaheim was held scoreless until it scored twice in the final 70 seconds.
How the Rangers' home start compares with last season
The Rangers had won their first five home games before Anaheim's visit, according to the club's October 19 pregame notes. Those notes listed New York with six wins and 13 points entering the game and said Garand had earned a point in four of his five starts this season. The win over the Ducks extended the home streak to six games.
Last season, New York did not record its sixth win at Madison Square Garden until January 26, its 23rd home game, AP reported. The Rangers lost 27 of their 41 home games, missed the playoffs and finished last in the Eastern Conference. This season's six straight home wins mark a sharp change in their results at the arena.
Garand's run and Anaheim's difficult trip
Garand made his fifth consecutive start since Igor Shesterkin went down, according to AP. Across 10 NHL appearances dating to his debut last spring, Garand has allowed two or fewer goals nine times. The Rangers have been without Shesterkin, their franchise goaltender, for the rest of the season, AP reported.
AP described the Ducks as travel-weary after a 15-hour trip from Southern California disrupted by delays. Anaheim reached its hotel at 2:30 a.m. and was on the ice for a morning skate less than nine hours later. AP said sloppy play put goaltender Ville Husso under pressure as the Rangers built a lead the Ducks could not overcome with their two late goals.
The Ducks are scheduled to play the Islanders on Tuesday night, with Lukas Dostal expected to start in goal for the second game of their New York back-to-back, AP reported. The Rangers are due to visit the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night.
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Sources and context
- Rangers beat the Ducks 5-2 to improve to 6-0-0 at home to start the seasonAssociated Press, carried by Yahoo Sports
- Rangers beat the Ducks 5-2 to improve to 6-0-0 at home to start the seasonHouston Chronicle (AP-syndicated report)
- Rangers vs. Ducks: Pregame NotesNew York Rangers
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.