WINNIPEG, Manitoba — Franchise firsts don’t come around often, especially for an Original Six club like the Rangers.
But that’s exactly what the Blueshirts accomplished with a 3-2 overtime win against the Jets on Monday night at Canada Life Centre, which marked the first time the team swept a five-game road trip in the organization’s history.
Mika Zibanejad scored the game-winner with 25.4 seconds left of the five-minute extra period to etch this team in the franchise’s history books forever.
Additionally, the Rangers pulled out this gutsy win in Blake Wheeler’s return game in Winnipeg after the forward called the city home for 12 years.
After a scoreless second period of a 1-1 game, Nikolaj Ehlers struck for the Jets just over five minutes into the final period to give his team its first lead of the game.
At this point, it was clear just how gassed the Rangers were on Day 11 of their road trip.
One power-play opportunity passed them by following an interference call on Adam Lowry.
The next one, however, did not.
Chris Kreider got a stick on an Adam Fox shot from the top of the zone for his NHL-leading fourth power-play goal, which knotted the game at 2-2.
The Rangers’ legs naturally looked a little heavier from start to finish, but their stick work remained as strong as it’s been.
Particularly in the middle frame, the Blueshirts found themselves in their own end for longer stretches than they would’ve liked.
Winnipeg may have held the zone over a clearly tired Rangers team, but goalie Igor Shesterkin hunkered down in net and didn’t give the home team many secondary opportunities.
Shesterkin finished with 20 saves in the win, which brought his season record to 4-2-0.
That included six stops during the three power plays the Rangers had to fend off, including one at the end of the third and into overtime.
The Rangers’ penalty kill has maintained its courageous ways through the start of the season, consistently blocking shots and clogging shooting lanes.
Both clubs scored at the very end of the first period, in which the Rangers probably had more quality chances, including two whiffs on clean breakaway opportunities from Alexis Lafreniere and Kaapo Kakko.
The Jets recorded six giveaways in the opening 20 minutes, but they cut that down and finished with nine by the end of the night.
Artemi Panarin continued on his tear to start the season, as well as celebrate his 32nd birthday.
Rangers captain Jacob Trouba sent a slick feed to the Russian wing, whose backhanded tip-in gave the visitors the 1-0 lead at the 18:24 mark.
The goal extended Panarin’s season-opening point streak to nine games.
Just over a minute later, however, David Gustafsson scored on the rush to tie it up heading into the first intermission.