New York Rangers forward Artemi Panarin scored his twenty-ninth goal of the season in 47 games. His 29 goals are fifth-best in the NHL this season.
The 32-year-old winger reached the total in 35 fewer games than last season, scoring the second goal of Tuesday night's contest 1:28 into the second period. It was another effort where Panarin opted to shoot the puck over making a pass.
Panarin registered twenty-nine goals in 82 games last season. The closest he has come to scoring at this rate was in 2019-2020, when he recorded 32 goals in 69 games.
The Russian winger has a 15.4% shooting percentage, in the 87th percentile of NHL skaters this season.
Tuesday's goal was his second long-range goal of the season. He has scored nine goals in the low slot, and 13 from mid-range (NHL Edge).
The Rangers benefit when Panarin is a shoot-first player. Reaching his total output from last season is the cherry on top for him in a season where the star forward was determined to change his approach to the game.
Artemi Panarins goal chart (2023-2024)Although the Rangers come away from their four-game Pacific road trip 1-2-1, "The Bread Man" is still generating offense at a high voltage for the club.
The mark of consistency has helped the team stay afloat in the Metropolitan Division as the team has slipped to a 4-6-2 record in January.