Rookie Dylan Garand made a career-high 32 saves and came within 58 seconds of his second career shutout as the host New York Rangers snapped a four-game losing streak with a 3-1 victory over the visiting St. Louis Blues on Tuesday night.
Adam Fox scored 1:49 into the second period and Oliver Bjorkstrand tallied 9:01 into the third as the Rangers also won for the second time in their past eight games (2-5-1) and improved to 7-2-0 on home ice.
Eeli Tolvanen contributed an empty-net goal with 1:59 left after getting the primary assist on Bjorkstrand’s goal. J.T. Miller and Fox each had two assists for New York.
Garand allowed 15 goals during his previous 10 appearances but was sharp throughout his 11th straight outing.
The 24-year-old made 11 saves on six St. Louis power plays, and the Rangers ended the night 5-for-52 on the penalty kill so far.
Garand helped the Rangers survive three power plays in the opening period with a pair of point-blank stops on Robert Thomas before denying Phillip Broberg in the final seconds.
After Fox put the Rangers ahead, Garand made a left-arm save on Broberg’s shot during a slashing penalty to Noah Laba. Garand also made a point-blank stop on Justin Barron’s shot through traffic shortly before the Rangers got their third goal.
St. Louis goalie Joel Hofer made 28 saves, but the Blues were unable to get a third straight win. Pius Suter scored in the final minute for the Blues, who avoided being shut out for the third time in their past five games.
The Rangers went ahead after a slow start that saw them allow nine of the contest’s first 11 shots on goal and did so by moving the puck out of the defensive zone.
After New York defenseman Marcus Pettersson beat Connor McMichael to a loose puck in the left corner of the defensive zone, J.T. Miller sent an outlet pass to Tye Kartye.
Kartye eluded Adam Jiricek in the left circle and Fox joined the rush. Fox took Kartye’s pass between the circles, lifted a shot over defenseman Cam Fowler’s stick and past Hofer’s glove.
New York doubled its lead when Will Cuylle forced Mason MacTavish into a giveaway and started a nice passing play that ended with Bjorkstrand’s tap-in at the right side of the crease.