Kreider helps Rangers rout Hurricanes
RALEIGH, N.C. -- Chris Kreider scored in the opening minute of the first and third periods as the New York Rangers defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 6-1 on Wednesday night at PNC Arena.
Jesper Fast produced the game's final two goals for New York.
Kreider and Mika Zibanejad scored in the game's first 2:26. Paul Carey also found the net for the Rangers, who won their second game in a row.
Goalie Henrik Lundqvist made 32 saves for the Rangers (11-9-2), who improved to 3-5-0 on the road.
Sebastian Aho scored in his fifth consecutive game for Carolina (9-7-4), which had picked up at least one point in seven of its previous eight games.
Hurricanes goalie Scott Darling stopped 21 shots, but it wasn't enough to prevent the team's most lopsided loss of the season. It was only the Hurricanes' second setback by more than a two-goal margin.
Kreider scored 52 seconds into the game. The second goal came 1:34 later when Zibanejad flipped the puck toward the net from just outside the blue line and Darling whiffed on an attempt to glove it.
The Hurricanes bounced back when Aho scored on a power play with 11:10 to play in the first period. Teuvo Teravainen pushed his assists streak to five games with that pass that set up Aho's shot from the right side.
Following an extended possession for the Hurricanes, the Rangers responded with Carey's rebound goal with 9:13 left in the first.
Zibanejad, who has a team-high 11 goals, has scored in three of the last four games.
Lundqvist, starting for the 10th game in a row, was tested with 17 first-period shots.
Kreider's second goal came on a power play 20 seconds into the third period, increasing New York's lead to 4-1.
Both of Fast's goals came in the third period.
NOTES: The Hurricanes had a three-game home winning streak snapped against the Rangers. ... This was the first of four meetings this season. ... Rangers D Ryan McDonagh missed a game for the first time this season, staying home with an abdominal injury. ... Carolina RW Justin Williams appeared in his 1,100th NHL game, becoming only the second member of the 2000 draft class to reach that plateau. Scott Hartnell is the other. ... Hurricanes C Victor Rask was a healthy scratch for the second game in a row. ... The Rangers are home against the Detroit Red Wings on Friday night, beginning a four-game homestand. ... The Hurricanes play the third contest of a four-game homestand Friday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs.