Rangers left winger Artemi Panarin named NHL first star of the week

New York Rangers left winger Artemi Panarin of Korkino, Russia was the National Hockey League First Star of the Week. In four games from February 6-12, 2023, Panarin had four goals and five assists for nine points. He was also a +5 with four penalty minutes, one game-winning goal, two power-play points, nine shots on goal, one hit and one blocked shot.

Four assists in first three games

In the first three Rangers games of the week, Panarin had four assists. In a 5-4 win over the Calgary Flames on February 6, Panarin set up Mika Zibanejad of Huddinge, Sweden twice. Panarin’s first assist helped put the Rangers up 3-2, and the second assist helped tie the game at four goals apiece. The Rangers and Flames played a game in what many have suggested was one of the most fascinating NHL games all season long.

Panarin then set up Zibanejad again on the game-winning goal at 16:05 of the third period in a 4-3 Rangers win over the Vancouver Canucks on February 8. He then picked up an assist on February 10 on the opening goal of the game by newly acquired Rangers forward Vladimir Tarasenko in a 6-3 New York win over the Seattle Kraken.

Four goal game against the Carolina Hurricanes

On Saturday, Panarin became the second NHL player this season to score four goals in a game as the Rangers beat the Carolina Hurricanes 6-2. The first was Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson of Phoenix, Arizona, who had a five-goal game in a 9-4 Buffalo win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on December 7. Ironically, Panarin was the first of two players who had four goals in a game on Saturday. The other was Adrian Kempe of the Los Angeles Kings, who scored the last four goals of the game in a 6-0 Los Angeles win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Among Panarin’s four-goal game came a natural hat trick.

2022-23 NHL Statistics

Panarin has 16 goals and 43 assists for 59 points in 51 games. He was a +1 with 24 penalty minutes, 21 power-play points, three game-winning goals, 138 shots on goal, one faceoff win, eight blocked shots, 18 hits, 20 takeaways, and 59 giveaways.