TAMPA — Panarin Finding His Groove

Artemi Panarin seems to be moving past his early-season hurdles. The talented Russian winger, sporting a freshly shaved head, has been on fire lately, racking up three goals and six assists, totaling nine points in just four games. He had a standout performance against the Lightning, assisting on four goals during the game held at Benchmark International Arena.

With this recent surge, Panarin now leads the Rangers with 16 points.

After an optional morning skate, head coach Mike Sullivan commented, “When he’s at his best, the puck tends to follow him. He’s figuring out how to maintain possession. He had great control in the last game. There are many factors to consider, but that’s how his game shines. He’s dangerous on the rush and knows when to slow things down. His ability to create chances is impressive, and he’s been improving his support play in the offensive zone. We’re encouraging him to stick closer to his linemates, and I think he’s doing well with that.”

Sullivan also noted, “His line spent more time in the offensive zone. They have a lot of creativity, able to generate offense in various ways. While they’re capable on the rush, they can also grind it out effectively. It’s going to require teamwork, and that’s where we’re trying to guide them. Overall, I thought they had a solid performance last game.”

Despite feeling a bit disconnected in the season’s early weeks, Panarin has impressively recorded four multi-point games out of his first 18, including a three-point effort and two four-point performances.

The Rangers are yet to lose a game this season when Panarin has tallied multiple points, going 4-0 in those instances.

“My confidence is improving. I’m feeling like I’m getting back on track,” Panarin said after scoring two goals against the Predators on Monday.

Igor Shesterkin had quite the night, facing 36 shots and saving 33 of them, which marked his sixth win this season.

In a tactical adjustment, Sullivan moved Will Quill to join JT Miller and Mika Zibanejad from the second period onward, citing the matchup’s relevance.

“Coach Cooper was probably looking to mismatch with Kucherov, Guentzel, and Point,” Sullivan shared. “If it was going to play out that way, we felt that having Will with JT and Mika made more sense. It’s a blend of what feels right during the game and competitive strategy.”

The Rangers also placed their 30-year-old goaltender on waivers on Wednesday following the signing of Spencer Martin to a two-year deal. If everything goes as planned, Martin will be sent to Hartford.

Last season, Martin played in nine games with the Hurricanes, sporting a 3-4-1 record along with an .846 save percentage and a 3.89 goals against average.