Rangers make a strong “everyone” statement when it comes to exterminating penguins

PITTSBURGH – The Rangers have introduced a new mantra ahead of the 2024-25 season.

The Blueshirts have abandoned the “No Quit in New York” slogan that has defined the organization for the past three seasons and coined a new motto that reflects the franchise's current mentality: “It Takes Everyone.”

And boy, did every single Ranger perform well in Wednesday's season-opening 6-0 win over the Penguins.

The DNA of “Never Give Up” doesn’t just disappear. It has become deeply embedded in the Rangers' identity in recent years.

But this is not a team that expects to play from behind, chase a game or vie to change momentum.

This is a team that aspires to lead, to control a game and to dictate the momentum.

This is how the Stanley Cup contenders play.

That’s why “No Quit in New York” no longer applies.

The Rangers played to their new rallying cry on Wednesday night at PPG Paints Arena, where the visitors prevailed against a weak Penguins team in a game that was virtually over after the first 20 minutes.

The victory really had a bit of everything.

There were points contributions from the top six and bottom six.

Offensive plays by the defenders. Some pretty goals, some worker goals.

And of course, a 16th career shutout from goaltender Igor Shesterkin.

Artemi Panarin even had some defensive highlights.

It may have been Game 1 of the 2024-25 season, but based on the way the Rangers started the game, it could have easily been Game 99 of the 2023-24 season.

Less than 2½ minutes later, Sam Carrick deflected a hard shot from Jacob Trouba at the top of the zone for his first goal as a Ranger.

Shots aimed into traffic ended up in the net, so the Rangers continued to do so to keep the pressure on.

Shesterkin, now entering a contract year after turning down an eight-year, $88 million deal that would have made him the highest-paid goaltender in NHL history, paced the Rangers with 10 saves in the first 20 minutes alone before finished with 29 on the night.

From then on, the Rangers went on the attack, scoring two more goals and taking a 3-0 lead at the first break.

Panarin, Vincent Trocheck and Alexis Lafreniere didn't let up for a second after their memorable debut as teammates last season.

Panarin snatched the puck from Lars Eller in the defensive zone and backhanded it to Lafreniere and Trocheck for a 2-on-1 rush that Lafreniere converted after a beautiful toe drag around Marcus Pettersson.

A strong and prolonged shift in the offensive zone less than 30 seconds before the start of the first frame then led to Chris Kreider sinking a rebound off a Trouba shot.

Oh, and the entire game was played five-on-five.

The rest of the game wasn't like that, but the Rangers didn't even need contributions from the power play they'd relied on so heavily in recent years.

In fact, they scored a shorthanded breakaway goal from Kreider in the third period, his second of the game.

Their transition game kept the Penguins on their heels and their good work in the defensive zone largely kept the home team out of the dangerous areas.

In the second period, it was Filip Chytil who took a drop pass from Will Cuylle and beat Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry with his stick side.

Each line was entered into the scorecard. A total of ten players did the same.

Everyone showed up for Game 1 – there were only 81 left.