Defenseman Tony DeAngelo recorded his first career hat trick and set a career high with five points as the New York Rangers beat the visiting New Jersey Devils 6-3 Thursday night at Madison Square Garden.

DeAngelo, who had never had more than two points in a game in 174 career outings, scored his first goal in the opening period and then got two goals in a span 2:54 in the second, getting the hat trick on a power play. He also set up scores by Artemi Panarin and Chris Kreider.

DeAngelo tied team records by for points and goals by a defenseman, with the former trying Brian Leetch's mark (accomplished twice). He was the first Ranger defenseman to get a hat trick since Reijo Ruotsalainen in 1982.

He also was the first defenseman to get five points since Roman Josi last February, and joined Zach Werenski as the second defenseman with a hat trick this season.

Panarin posted a three-point night and surpassed 60 points by setting up Jesper Fast's third-period tally.

Rookie goaltender Igor Shesterkin made 46 saves in his second career start, as the Rangers won their fourth straight home game.

Blake Coleman, Damon Severson and Kevin Rooney scored -- Rooney short-handed -- as the Devils lost their third straight.

MacKenzie Blackwood allowed five goals on 25 shots before leaving in the second period for the Devils. Backup Louis Dominigue stopped 11 of 12 shots.

Panarin opened the scoring at 5:42 of the first by putting a one-timer from the right circle into the net. After Rooney banked in a rebound for his first goal in 34 games with 11:54 left, DeAngelo took Mika Zibanejad's no-look pass from behind the net and put a wrist shot from the right circle in nearly two minutes later.

DeAngelo reached three points by making a long lead pass from the defensive zone to Kreider, who finished off the play by getting past Severson and lifting a backhander into the net with 7:44 remaining.

Coleman made it a one-goal game by tipping Severson's wrist shot in with 1:50 left in the first. Severson tied it nearly nine minutes into the second when New York's Jacob Trouba kicked in the puck with his right skate.

DeAngelo snapped the tie a little over three minutes later with a wrister. Then, after several passes, he chased Blackwood by putting another wrister into the net.

--Field Level Media