{"id":543593,"date":"2026-04-06T10:27:21","date_gmt":"2026-04-06T10:27:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/543593\/"},"modified":"2026-04-06T10:27:21","modified_gmt":"2026-04-06T10:27:21","slug":"rangers-have-memorable-weekend-with-back-to-back-first-hat-tricks-2-dominant-wins","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/543593\/","title":{"rendered":"Rangers have memorable weekend with back-to-back first hat tricks, 2 dominant wins"},"content":{"rendered":"

NEW YORK \u2014\u00a0 The New York Rangers aren\u2019t going to play postseason games this year. This weekend, they tried to make sure a couple of other teams won\u2019t, either.<\/p>\n

Both of New York\u2019s opponents this weekend \u2014 the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday and the Washington Capitals on Sunday \u2014 were teams fighting for the remaining Eastern Conference playoff spots. The Rangers beat both handily, especially the Capitals. New York erupted for five goals (as well as two fights) in the second period against Washington, propelling it to an 8-1 win.<\/p>\n

The Rangers have now won five of six games, and the past two victories have included personal milestones: Gabe Perreault notched his first career hat trick in New York\u2019s 4-1 win against Detroit, and Will Cuylle did the same against Washington.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur guys have something to play for,\u201d coach Mike Sullivan said. \u201cWe\u2019re playing some pretty good teams that have a lot at stake. We\u2019ve beat some pretty good teams lately. That\u2019s a testament to how hard our players are competing out there. We\u2019re trying to build a team game, and we\u2019re trying to stack some wins on top of each other where we can continue to define and refine what Rangers hockey looks like.\u201d<\/p>\n

Here are thoughts from the Rangers\u2019 weekend.<\/p>\n

1. Late in the Red Wings game with the Rangers safely up 3-0, Sullivan put Perreault, who had already scored twice, onto the ice with Detroit\u2019s net vacated for an extra attacker. Carrying the puck out of his defensive zone, captain J.T. Miller tried to pass to his rookie teammate, only for Detroit\u2019s Alex DeBrincat to pick it off.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think that might be a turnover Sully will let me have,\u201d Miller said. (Sullivan agreed after the game; he was more than happy with Miller trying to get Perreault his moment.)<\/p>\n

Miller got possession back around 10 seconds after the turnover. This time, he successfully hit Perreault with a pass. The 20-year-old flicked the puck past Moritz Seider and into the empty net, prompting fans to toss their hats onto the ice.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou could see the reaction on the bench,\u201d Sullivan said. \u201cEverybody was rooting for him. He\u2019s an easy guy to root for. He\u2019s a great kid. He works hard. The fact that J.T. was working hard for him to try to get him the hat trick is awesome. I just think it speaks volumes for the type of people we have.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thanks to the hat trick, Perreault is up to 25 points in 45 games. He has become a mainstay on the top line with Mika Zibanejad and Alexis Lafreni\u00e8re, and 17 of his points have come in the past 19 games. Ironically, a day after Perreault\u2019s hat trick, he was the only New York forward not to have a point against Washington.<\/p>\n

Perreault\u2019s goals against the Red Wings came in different ways. Zibanejad found him in the slot for a wrist shot on the first, then Perreault drove to the net on the second. Jonny Brodzinski fed him a perfect pass for a backdoor goal on the power play.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo stick in the NHL is hard,\u201d Miller said of Perreault. \u201cTo stick on a top line in the NHL is harder.\u201d<\/p>\n

Perreault is massively important for the Rangers, given the team\u2019s lack of other high-skill forward prospects. Sullivan has trusted him with increased opportunity as the season has gone on, and the coach credits him with learning from experience and growing as the year has progressed.<\/p>\n

\u201cHis hockey IQ is probably his greatest attribute,\u201d Sullivan said. \u201cI also think from a foot speed standpoint, he\u2019s gotten quicker. He\u2019s elusive in tight spaces. He might not have the open ice foot speed, but he\u2019s pretty elusive in traffic.\u201d<\/p>\n

Added Miller: \u201cHe\u2019s becoming a great player right in front of us.\u201d<\/p>\n

2. The Washington game was Cuylle at his best. Along with his three goals \u2014 a backdoor deflection off a Braden Schneider pass, a blast past Charlie Lindgren as he left the penalty box and a snap shot late \u2014 he delivered a hard, clean hit on Ryan Leonard in the second period, then accepted Jakob Chychrun\u2019s invitation to fight. He grinned while heading to the locker room after the bout.<\/p>\n

\u201c(The hit) kind of gives you a bit of an energy boost maybe,\u201d Cuylle said. \u201cI\u2019m always trying to finish hits, usually. Sometimes they\u2019re bigger than others. That one was one of the bigger ones. \u2026 It goes into how I\u2019m trying to play every game: finish my hits and be in the dirty areas.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 24-year-old Cuylle hasn\u2019t had the season he was hoping for<\/a> after a 45-point sophomore campaign in 2024-25. He had a 13-game goal drought in March and has failed to increase his point production rate from last season despite logging nearly two minutes more of ice time per game. Still, he\u2019s up to 20 goals after Sunday\u2019s hat trick, tying his 2024-25 mark. Perhaps some puck luck is starting to go in his favor.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe went through a stretch there where he hadn\u2019t scored in (13) games, but we felt like he was getting a lot closer, just getting inside more, going to the net, getting more looks,\u201d Sullivan said. \u201cWe think that\u2019s when he\u2019s at his best. \u2026 To get rewarded with a hat trick tonight is great. It\u2019ll be a good boost of confidence for him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cuylle\u2019s Rangers teammates clearly wanted him to finish the hat trick. Sullivan put the second power-play unit \u2014 which includes Cuylle \u2014 on the ice to start a third-period power play, and Conor Sheary tried multiple times to find the winger with cross-ice passes. Adam Fox also tried to shoot with Cuylle in front of the net, hoping he\u2019d deflect a puck past Lindgren. Finally, a Zibanejad pass in the final minute set him up for his hat trick-clinching goal.<\/p>\n

\u201cObviously, we all have each other\u2019s backs in here,\u201d Cuylle said. \u201cThat was a pretty cool moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

3. Per NHL Stats, Perreault and Cuylle are only the second duo of Rangers players to have their first career hat tricks in back-to-back games. Mark Pavelich (Nov. 21, 1982) and Rob McClanahan (Nov. 24, 1982) are the only other players to team up for the feat.<\/p>\n

4. Is anyone having more fun than recent call-ups and close friends Jaroslav Chmela\u0159 and Adam S\u00fdkora? The smiley rookies both had goals on the weekend: Chmela\u0159 deflected a Vladislav Gavrikov shot past John Gibson on Saturday, and S\u00fdkora buried a Noah Laba feed Sunday. The buddies picked up secondary assists on each other\u2019s goals.<\/p>\n

S\u00fdkora descended to a knee and pretended to wield a bow and arrow after his goal. He had a wide grin as he celebrated with Laba and pointed to Chmela\u0159.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just get energetic after I score,\u201d said S\u00fdkora, who is generously listed at 5-foot-11 and is up to three goals in seven career games. \u201cThen I like doing some (celebration). I like to do it because you don\u2019t score every single day. I try to enjoy the moment because you are working so hard to score a goal. Then try to enjoy it and be thankful that I score.\u201d<\/p>\n

Asked if he\u2019s ever seen anyone as excited to score as S\u00fdkora, Chmela\u0159 said, \u201cOnly him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was thinking about jumping on him, but then I was like, \u2018I don\u2019t know if it\u2019s a good idea if I do that,\u2019\u201d the 6-4 forward said. \u201cI love to celebrate with him. I think he does like four cellys after he scores.\u201d<\/p>\n

5. Igor Shesterkin will almost surely start the home finale Wednesday, meaning Saturday might have been Jonathan Quick\u2019s last start at Madison Square Garden. The 40-year-old No. 2 goalie has yet to sign a contract for next season. When asked about his future, he told reporters Saturday, \u201cI just want to enjoy the ride the rest of the way these last five, six games and figure that out when it\u2019s time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Quick, who grew up in Connecticut rooting for the Rangers, broke his home team\u2019s hearts in 2014, helping the Kings beat them in the Stanley Cup Final. But he\u2019s become a beloved member of the dressing room since signing with the club as a free agent in 2023. If Saturday was his final home game, he delivered a strong one, stopping 31 shots. He nearly collected his 66th career shutout, but a late David Perron goal put the Red Wings on the board.<\/p>\n

Asked if he savors Quick\u2019s starts more knowing his uncertain future, Miller said \u201cof course,\u201d though noted it\u2019s none of his business.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen he\u2019s playing that well for us, you feel like you\u2019re desperate to try to get him a win,\u201d the captain said.<\/p>\n

\"Jonathan<\/p>\n

\n Jonathan Quick put up 31 saves in what might have been his last start at Madison Square Garden. (Bruce Bennett \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n

6. Will Borgen took a massive hit from Tom Wilson, one of the most feared players in the NHL, in the third period. Somehow, the Rangers defenseman got up smiling.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne thing I admire about Will Borgen is he\u2019s fearless when he goes back for pucks, and he\u2019s willing to take hits to make plays,\u201d Sullivan said.<\/p>\n

7. Three Rangers players got in fights against the Capitals: Cuylle, who also fought Saturday against Detroit\u2019s Ben Chiarot; Tye Kartye, who took on Brandon Duhaime; and Laba, who had his first career fight against Hendrix Lapierre. Laba got a fighting lesson from teammate Matt Rempe<\/a>, a more experienced pugilist, at a practice in December.<\/p>\n

8. Zibanejad had three assists against the Capitals, bringing him to 75 points in 77 games. If he can finish the season on a hot streak and get six points in his final four games, he\u2019ll finish with a point-per-game rate for the first time since 2022-23.<\/p>\n

9. Winning at home has been a struggle for the Rangers, but their strong run of play has them up to 14 victories at Madison Square Garden this season. That means they\u2019re officially safe from tying the 2003-04 club for fewest home-ice wins in a season of 80 games or more.<\/p>\n

10. For those wondering about lottery odds, the Rangers have the fourth-worst record in the league, both by points and point percentage. If New York stays at fourth-worst, it will have a 9.5 percent chance at the No. 1 pick and 9.5 percent chance at No. 2.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"NEW YORK \u2014\u00a0 The New York Rangers aren\u2019t going to play postseason games this year. This weekend, they…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":543594,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[5101],"tags":[599,93,5137,5,35,4,3358,5138],"class_list":{"0":"post-543593","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-detroit-red-wings","8":"tag-detroit","9":"tag-detroit-red-wings","10":"tag-detroitredwings","11":"tag-hockey","12":"tag-new-york-rangers","13":"tag-nhl","14":"tag-red-wings","15":"tag-redwings"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nhl\/116357292111713128","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/543593","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=543593"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/543593\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/543594"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=543593"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=543593"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=543593"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}