Lafreniere scores in OT to lift Rangers over Flames 5-4
By Allan Kreda, The Associated Press on February 6, 2023.
NEW YORK (AP) – Alexis Lafreniere scored 1:37 into overtime and Jaroslav Halak made 28 saves as the New York Rangers beat the Calgary Flames 5-4 on Monday night. Lafreniere led a 2-on-1 rush and then tracked down a rebound, beating Flames netminder Jacob Markstrom for his seventh goal of the season. That ended a frenzied game that was tied four times and featured several fights following big hits – two by Rangers captain Jacob Trouba. Calgary’s Andrew Mangiapane and Michael Stone scored two minutes apart early in the third period to give the Flames a 4-3 lead, but Mika Zibanejad scored his second goal of the game – his team-leading 24th – to tie it for the fourth time at 12:55. Filip Chytil also scored twice for the Rangers, who improved to 9-2-3 in their last 14 games and are 17-4-3 since Dec. 5. Zibanejad put New York ahead 3-2 with 14 seconds left in the second but Mangiapane scored at 6:38 of the third to tie it. The play was reviewed to determine if Mangiapane kicked in the puck with his skate, but the goal stood. Zibanejad’s first goal came as he roofed the puck past Markstrom on the power play with assists to Chris Kreider and Artemi Panarin. The assist was Panarin’s 300th point as a Ranger. Halak won his sixth straight and has wins in seven of his last eight appearances. Chytil opened the scoring at 5:37 of the first, rifling a high shot past Markstrom. Kaapo Kakko and Adam Fox assisted. Calgary forward Blake Coleman tied it at 10:25 of the first with his 11th goal. There were several skirmishes in the first as the both teams were playing for the first time since Jan. 27 following the All-Star break. Trouba tussled with Calgary’s Chris Tanev after the defenceman levelled Flames forward Dillon Dube with an open-ice check. Later in the first, several fights ensued after Rangers forward Sammy Blais drilled Flames forward Milan Lucic. New York rookie Will Cuylle fought Calgary’s MacKenzie Weegar, and Lucic was assessed an extra two minutes for roughing against Rangers forward Jake Leschyshyn. Chytil put the Rangers ahead 2-1 on a breakaway at 2:02 of the second. The 23-year-old Czech forward has a career-best 18 goals and 31 points this season. He has six goals in his last four games and 14 points – 10 goals – in his last 12 contests. Calgary’s Tyler Toffoli then tied it 2-2 with his 19th goal on the power play at 16:45 of the second. Trouba struck again with just under a minute left in the second, body checking Nazem Kadri hard in the Rangers zone, then fighting Dube who rushed to his teammate’s defence. Dube received an extra two-minute penalty for instigating, and Zibenejad scored the go-ahead goal on the ensuing power play. NOTES Zibanejad’s 83rd power-play goal for the Rangers moved him ahead of Phil Esposito and Jean Ratelle into a tie with Vic Hadfield for sixth place on the franchise list. “¦ Calgary scratched defencemen Dennis Gilbert and Connor Mackey, plus forward Brett Ritchie. “¦ The Rangers scratched forwards Julien Gauthier and Vitali Kravtsov, plus defenceman Libor Hajek. “¦ The teams meet again Feb. 18 in Calgary. UP NEXT Flames: Visit the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday. Rangers: Host the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday. ___ AP NHL: http://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL and http://www.twitter.com/AP_Sports 24-23
