Adam Fox leads Rangers past Penguins 6-1 in coach Mike Sullivan’s return to Pittsburgh – Winnipeg Free Press

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Adam Fox scored twice and added an assist as the New York Rangers beat the Penguins 6-1 on Saturday night, giving new coach Mike Sullivan a victory in his return to Pittsburgh.

Sullivan, who coached the Penguins to back-to-back Stanley Cup titles in 2016 and 2017, returned for the first time since parting ways with the team in April. Pittsburgh spoiled Sullivan's debut with the Rangers by winning the season opener 3-0 on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden, but New York got revenge on Saturday.

Mika Zibanejad scored a shorthanded goal, his 251st for the Rangers, passing Mark Messier for eighth most in franchise history. Will Quill scored on the power play and Matt Rempe and Taylor Raddysh also scored for New York, which announced Saturday that center Vincent Trocheck – a Pittsburgh native – is sidelined week-to-week with an upper-body injury.



New York Rangers' Adam Fox (23) celebrates returning to the bench after scoring the first of his two goals in the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Pittsburgh on Saturday, October 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Igor Shesterkin made 18 saves for the Rangers.

Ben Kindel scored his first NHL goal and Brian Rust returned to the Penguins lineup after missing the first two games of the season with a lower-body injury. The Penguins lost for the first time under new coach Dan Muse, a Rangers assistant from 2023-25.

Artur Silov stopped 24 shots after shutting out the Rangers on Tuesday.

Sullivan, in addition to his back-to-back championships, had 409 wins in 753 games with Pittsburgh, a record for both teams.

Zibanejad scored at 7:40 of the first period, 23 seconds after the video tribute to Sullivan was played. It was Zibanejad's 12th shorthanded goal for the Rangers and the fifth-most in franchise history.

New York took command in the second with three goals and a 14-3 shot advantage.

Fox helped the Rangers regain the lead 2–1 just 3:02 after Kindel scored. Cuill made it 3-1 on a pass from Conor Sheary, who also won back-to-back championships with Pittsburgh.

Fox scored his second goal from that point five seconds later on the power play as the Rangers opened up a 4–1 lead.