Lafreniere’s OT winner fires Rangers past Flames in frenzied back-and-forth contest

February 6, 2023 Canuck Sports/Hockey/NHL

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 huge 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.

WATCH | Lafrenière nets OT winner as Rangers defeat Flames:

Lafrenière pots overtime winner as Rangers down Flames

1 hour ago

Duration 1:36

Alexis Lafrenière’s overtime goal gave New York a 5-4 win over Calgary Monday night.

Halak has won six straight and seven of his last eight appearances.

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 with the Rangers.

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 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.

WATCH | Rangers’ Trouba hits Kadri in 2nd period action:

Rangers Trouba delivers a massive hit on Nazem Kadri

3 hours ago

Duration 1:14

New York Rangers defenceman Jacob Trouba hits Calgary Flames player Nazem Kadri in second period action.

Trouba tussled with Calgary’s Chris Tanev after the defenseman leveled 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 games.

Calgary’s Tyler Toffoli tied it at 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.

WATCH | Sarah Nurse scores a ‘Forsberg’ on Rangers’ Shesterkin: