In a career-best season on track to end with a point total above his career-best 96, Artemi Panarin’s latest contribution — his 85th point — helped him join an exclusive group of Rangers players.
He assisted on Chris Kreider’s second-period goal in a 4-2 loss to the Panthers on Monday, notching his 50th assist of the season to give him a third consecutive season of reaching that threshold.
The only other players to accomplish that, according to the team: Hall of Famers Mark Messier from 1996-97 through 1998-99 and Wayne Gretzky from 1996-97 through 1998-99.
With less than five minutes remaining in the second period, Panarin possessed the puck from his power-play spot along the boards, threaded the puck to Vincent Trocheck in the middle, veered toward the net then flung his arms in the air when Kreider deposited the rebound into the Panthers’ net.
Panarin has recorded at least a point in eight of the past nine games and 10 of 13 since the All-Star break, stringing together 19 points (five goals, 14 assists) during that time.
His line, with Trocheck and Alexis Lafreniere, has remained the Rangers’ most productive, recording 151 high-danger chances that reflect a blend of continuity — with their line remaining intact as injuries and shuffling define others — and consistency.
And for Panarin, it has helped position him to top 100 points for the first time in his NHL career.
He’s already reached 90 in three of his four seasons since signing with the Rangers.
He’s already set a career-high for goals this year, too, with 35.
Reaching the 50-assist mark again presented just the latest milestone, but if everything unfolds at the same pace across the final 20 games, they’ll all combine to help Panarin — fifth in the NHL for points entering Tuesday’s games — reach an elusive one.
“People like you make me think about things like that,” Panarin said late last month when asked about his pace to top 100 points. “Honestly, I’m trying not to think about it. It’s too much pressure.”
After Monday’s loss, Igor Shesterkin has dropped consecutive starts for the first time since the All-Star break — which ended with his extended reset and work with goaltending coach Benoit Allaire while Jonathan Quick started.
Shesterkin recorded a .953 save percentage during the seven wins that followed prior to the shootout loss against the Maple Leafs on Saturday and the regulation loss against the Panthers two days later.
He hasn’t lost consecutive games in regulation since Jan. 8 and 11, and the recent winning streak helped Shesterkin’s save percentage improve to .910 and his goals against average drop to 2.67 — up from the .899 and down from the 2.86, respectively, that he entered the All-Star break with.
The Rangers assigned forward Alex Belzile to AHL Hartford.
He hasn’t appeared in a game with the Blueshirts this season, but in 43 games with the Wolf Pack, Belzile has scored 14 goals and added 23 assists.