By Allan Kreda
Kaapo Kaako scored a power-play aim with 24 seconds left, and the New York Rangers stopped a five-game slide by topping the Montreal Canadiens 4-3 on Saturday.
Artemi Panarin, Vincent Trocheck and Mika Zibanejad additionally scored for the Rangers, who bought their first win since a 4-3 victory at Vancouver on Nov. 19. Adam Fox had two assists, and Jonathan Fast made 25 saves.
With Montreal’s Kirby Dach serving a four-minute, high-sticking penalty, Kaako bought his fourth aim of the season.
The Canadiens trailed 3-1 after two intervals. However Cole Caufield scored his 14th aim 4:16 into the third and Nick Suzuki tied it at 14:07.
Trocheck tipped the puck previous Montreal goaltender Sam Montembeault at 19:56 to place New York forward after Panarin and Montreal’s Mike Matheson scored earlier within the first.
Panarin put the Rangers forward at 9:02, scoring on a 5-on-3 for New York’s first power-play aim since Nov. 12 at house in opposition to Winnipeg.
Matheson tied it at 11:47.
Montembault made 24 saves for Montreal.
TakeawaysCanadiens: dropped to 3-7-1 on the highway.
Rangers: Forwards Chris Kreider and Filip Chytil returned to the lineup. Kreider missed three video games with an upper-body harm whereas Chytil was out for seven after colliding with teammate Okay’Andre Miller on Nov. 14. Reilly Smith and Jonny Brodzinski had been scratched.
Key momentSeeking an early spark, New York captain Jacob Trouba fought Montreal’s Josh Anderson 1:58 into the competition. It appeared to present the Rangers a collective jolt that was lacking in current video games.
Key stat
The Rangers are 11-1-0 when scoring first. It was the 1,700th house win in franchise historical past.
Up nextThe Canadiens go to the Boston Bruins on Sunday. The Rangers host the New Jersey Devils on Monday.
