HAD TO HAB IT

Lafreniere scores game-winner in homecoming against Canadiens as Rangers earn 1st victory

MONTREAL — Alexis Lafreniere pointed up to the rafters of Bell Centre, where he had attended games throughout his Quebec childhood. A smile stretched across his face after he had buried a goal on a two-on-one rush with Mika Zibanejad to regain the lead for the Rangers in the third period Saturday night against the Canadiens. That smile never left Lafreniere’s face the rest of the night.

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His teammates on the ice gave the 20-year-old an extended celebratory hug, while his family — watching Lafreniere compete in an NHL game in Canada for the first time — bounced around in their third-floor box.

Lafreniere’s go-ahead goal, at 9:50 of the third period, proved to be the game winner as the Rangers beat the Canadiens 3-1 to earn their first win of the season, in front of a vivacious Bell Centre crowd. The arena was at full capacity for the first time since before the coronavirus pandemic.

“It was really special, just to score in Montreal,” Lafreniere said, with blood still drying on his chin, which was stitched-up after he took a stick to the face while scoring the game-winning goal. “The building was electric tonight, so it was pretty fun.”

Prior to the puck drop, Lafreniere addressed the largest media crowd he likely has faced in person since the Rangers selected him No. 1 overall in the 2020 NHL Draft. He said he had been waiting to play at Bell Centre for quite some time. The Rangers haven’t traveled to Canada since before Lafreniere was drafted because of the NHL’s realigned divisions last season during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Taking the ice, Lafreniere said he was a little bit nervous. His linemate, Zibanejad, didn’t notice.

“He didn’t look nervous at all,” Zibanejad said of Lafreniere, who became the first Quebec-born Ranger to score a goal against Montreal since Derick Brassard on March 26, 2016. “Obviously, first time here and a sold-out crowd. It’s an amazing building to play in and it’s a lot of fun to come here. The way he handled himself and the way he played, I’m super, super happy.”

The Rangers won without two of their top-six forwards, Ryan Strome, who is in COVID-19 protocol, and Kaapo Kakko, who was sidelined for the final two periods after sustaining an upper-body injury in the opening 20 minutes.

Behind a strong defensive effort and goalie Igor Shesterkin’s 31-save performance, the Blueshirts kept Montreal at bay. The Rangers were awarded four straight power plays in the second period as the Canadiens

repeatedly committed undisciplined penalties.

Chris Kreider capitalized on the Rangers’ third manadvantage opportunity, putting in a feed from Zibanejad past Canadiens netminder Jake Allen at 9:59 of the second. Montreal’s Jonathan Drouin scored at 9:24 of the third period to knot the game 1-1 before Lafreniere netted his goal 26 seconds later. Kevin

Rooney’s empty-net goal with 10 seconds left in the game sealed the win.

“I think we’re building on something good here,” Zibanejad said. “I feel like we’ve been playing very similar throughout the three games. I think tonight we played more consistent, the way we want to play. Obviously, that gave us the win and we just got to keep doing that.”