ALEXIS LAFRENIERE

Sidney Crosby had a goal and three assists to become the sixth player in NHL history to reach 200 career playoff points and the Pittsburgh Penguins throttled the New York Rangers 7-2 to take a 3-1 lead in their Eastern Conference first-round series.

Artemi Panarin scored the first of New York’s three third-period goals with 8:25 left and the Rangers beat the Boston Bruins 5-2 to give Gerard Gallant the best start in his first 20 games as the team's coach.

The New York Rangers have fired coach David Quinn and three assistant coaches.

The New York Rangers say president John Davidson and general manager Jeff Gorton are out.

New York Rangers' Chris Kreider celebrates his goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Boston Bruins, Saturday, March 13, 2021, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)BOSTON – Chris Kreider scored his team-leading 14th goal, Artemi Panarin had an assist in his first game back since leaving the team, and the New York Rangers beat the Boston Bruins 4-0 Saturday to halt a three-game losing streak. Ryan Strome, Pavel Buchnevich and K’Andre Miller each had a goal for New York, which lost 4-0 in Boston on Thursday. The Rangers called the story about Panarin fabricated and designed to intimidate him for his political views against Russian President Vladimir Putin. He also robbed Kreider’s two close chances on a Rangers power play midway into the second.

Alexis Lafreniere wanted to take the stage at Montreal’s Bell Centre near his home and hear his name announced at the NHL draft. From suburban Montreal, he was the first to earn both Canadian Hockey League and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League MVP honors in consecutive seasons since Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby in 2004 and ’05. The Los Angeles Kings then selected Ontario Hockey League center Quinton Byfield with the second pick. It was an NHL draft like no other, the first one held in October, with teams selecting remotely from their home cities. “It’s pretty crazy and surreal,” said Sanderson, the son of former NHL forward Geoff Sanderson, and the first American and defenseman selected.

1 pick in the NHL draft while also coming off an appearance in the expanded 24-team playoffs. The Rangers only made the playoffs because the NHL expanded the format to 24, rather than 16 teams. 1 pick is going to be a very good hockey player, there’s no question, maybe even a great player, hopefully. “To be maybe having the chance to play with him, it would be an honor,” Lafreniere said. General managers are bracing for a hectic weekend with numerous teams having to shed payroll this offseason with the NHL salary cap staying at $81.5 million.