Shesterkin, Rangers Ride Four-Game Streak Into Capitals Clash

Igor Shesterkin has given the New York Rangers a clean, fast start after opening night, and he brings a 3-1-0 record, a 1.75 goals-against average and a .926 save percentage into Friday’s road game against the Washington Capitals. The Rangers have won four straight, have not surrendered a first-period goal all season, and can make it five in a row at Capital One Arena.

After the horn

Alexis Lafreniere enters the Washington matchup fresh off his third NHL hat trick, recorded in Tuesday’s 5-2 win over the New York Islanders. Two of those goals went into an empty net, part of a remarkable Rangers run that has produced five empty-netters during the current four-game streak.

Washington, 2-1-0, opened its home schedule with a 5-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday. The goaltending matchup has early Vezina Trophy weight: Logan Thompson has won both of his starts, carrying a 2.50 GAA and .921 save percentage after stopping 58 of 63 shots. Shesterkin has allowed seven goals on 95 shots in four appearances, and has also contributed a goal and an assist.

In Winnipeg, Kyle Connor has a franchise milestone sitting one shot away. His two-goal night in Tuesday’s 3-2 comeback over the Colorado Avalanche moved him level with Ilya Kovalchuk at 328 goals for the Jets/Thrashers franchise. A goal against Anaheim would put Connor alone in third place on that list.

Connor has five goals through four games. He remains behind Mark Scheifele’s 372 franchise goals and is seven away from matching Dale Hawerchuk’s 379. The Jets are 3-0-1 and have permitted only 10 goals, with six allowed during their three-game winning streak. Stuart Skinner is 2-0-1 with a 2.62 GAA and .920 save percentage.

Anaheim arrives after letting a two-goal first-period edge disappear in a 5-2 loss to Edmonton on Tuesday. Beckett Sennecke scored both Ducks power-play goals before the Oilers rallied. Leo Carlsson leads Anaheim with seven points, including six assists.

Columbus returns to the ice

The Blue Jackets had an unusual opening stretch: two games in three nights, followed by five days without one. Columbus returns at Nationwide Arena against Pittsburgh, then heads to St. Louis for its first road game Saturday in the second half of a back-to-back.

Columbus is 1-1-0 after a 4-1 loss to the Utah Mammoth last Saturday. Matthew Knies has been a bright early line on the notebook since arriving from the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sept. 28, posting two goals and two assists in his first two Blue Jackets games.

The Penguins are 2-2-0 and trying to stop a two-game skid after opening the season with consecutive wins.

Larkin gives Detroit a lift

Dylan Larkin made an immediate difference in his season debut Tuesday, scoring once and adding an assist as Detroit beat Ottawa 5-3. The Red Wings had dropped their first two games without their former captain, who missed the preseason with an injury amid continuing trade-request speculation.

Larkin’s trade situation has not changed, but Detroit has its first win and another chance to build momentum when Seattle visits Little Caesars Arena.

Kraken captain Jordan Eberle has registered at least one point in each of Seattle’s four games and can establish the club record for the longest season-opening point streak. Matty Beniers is one point shy of 200 in his NHL career.

Seattle’s 2-2-0 start has been wildly uneven. The Kraken own two 6-1 wins over Calgary but also have losses of 6-2 to Vegas and 3-1 to Edmonton.

Friday’s rink board