Mika Zibanejad scored twice, including a crucial power-play goal, to lead the New York Rangers to a 3-1 victory over the Calgary Flames at the Scotiabank Saddledome. The win marked a significant offensive contribution from Zibanejad, who had been experiencing a goal slump.
The 33-year-old center netted his first goal of the game less than a minute into the second period, banking the puck in off Flames goaltender Devin Cooley. He later added another goal on the power play, his first with the man advantage this season and first since the second game of the season.
Zibanejad and captain J.T. Miller entered the game having contributed only about 11 percent of the Rangers' total 5-on-5 goals. While both players have been effective away from the puck and generating chances, the team has been hampered by a lack of consistent scoring impact from them. This performance marks Zibanejad's first multi-goal game of the season and the 46th of his 16-year NHL career.
Goaltender Joonas Korpisalo, making his second appearance of the season, was instrumental in keeping the game scoreless through the first period. He made a key save on a wraparound attempt by Zayne Parekh, one of three high-danger chances the Flames had in the opening 20 minutes. The Rangers registered four of their own scoring chances during that same span.
