Quick gets shutout in 800th NHL game, Rangers defeat Predators

Jonathan Quick made 34 saves, including 19 in the third period, in his 800th NHL game, a 4-0 win for the New York Rangers against the Nashville Predators at Madison Square Garden in New York on Sunday.

It was Quick’s third shutout of the season and 63rd in the NHL. He became the 17th goalie in NHL history to appear in 800 games.

“The first 40 minutes tonight and last game, I do think we were pretty tight defensively,” Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said. “We’ve got to play that way, and when there are breakdowns, you need your goaltender to make saves, and both guys are doing that. [Quick] was fantastic tonight, especially in the third when that game is 3-0. He had to make some big saves.”

Artemi Panarin and J.T. Miller each had a goal and an assist for the Rangers (30-26-4), who have won three of their past four games. Mika Zibanejad had two assists and has nine points (three goals, six assists) on a six-game point streak.

“I started my career playing with [Quick] and now still playing with him, it’s crazy how athletic he is still at this age (39),” New York forward Jonny Brodzinski said. “Just his ability to make those crazy, acrobatic saves and just gets up like nothing happened. He’s in the splits with four guys laying on top of him and he just pops right back up. Just awesome.”

Justus Annunen made 30 saves for the Predators (21-32-7), who have lost four of their past five games.

“I mean we’ve got to score a goal,” Nashville forward Filip Forsberg said. “It sounds silly. I don’t know how many times it is, but it’s obviously 100 times too many. So, I think we’ve got to start there and see what happens.”

It was the ninth time this season the Predators have been shutout.

“I thought we had some really good looks,” Nashville coach Andrew Brunette said. “I think overall as a group it’s been like this all year, especially the last stretch. We’re a little bit snakebitten. It’s hard for us to score right now.”

Panarin gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead at 8:32 of the first period on a slap shot from the right circle on a partial breakaway. Alexis Lafreniere made a cross-ice pass to Panarin through the neutral zone, and he beat Annunen glove side.

J.T. Miller made it 2-0 at 1:02 of the second period off a pass from Panarin on the power play. Panarin had the puck in the high slot, and he found Miller cutting to the net on Annunen’s blocker side.

“I thought we played well,” New York defenseman Zac Jones said. “I thought we had a great vibe in the room. Everything was just lighthearted. Everybody was upbeat. It was just good vibes going into today, and then obviously two points is two points. We need them right now.”

K'Andre Miller pushed the lead to 3-0 at 3:25 pf the second on a forehand-to-backhand move from below the right circle off a pass from J.T. Miller.

Brett Berard made it 4-0 at 16:57 of the third period on a wrist shot from the slot off a pass from Sam Carrick.

“Coming off of last game, it was one that we felt like we should’ve won,” Brodzinski said. “We played good enough to win. We just kind of brought that hard work. I thought we were extremely physical last game. I thought the same thing tonight. Just being harder to play against, and I think it’s transitioning over to our offensive play and we’re just getting more opportunities from it.”

NOTES: Forward Juuso Parssinen and defenseman Calvin de Haan made their Rangers debuts after being acquired from the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday. De Haan had an assist on Panarin’s goal and was plus-1 in 16:26 of ice time. Parssinen had one shot attempt in 14:03. … Rangers forward Reilly Smith did not play because of roster management purposes. … Predators captain Roman Josi missed his third consecutive game because of an upper-body injury. … Quick is the second United States-born goalie to play in 800 NHL games (John Vanbiesbrouck, 882).