WALDRON GRAIN & FUEL

03/27 21:01 CDT Garand stops 27 for first NHL win as Rangers down Blackhawks 6-1 Garand stops 27 for first NHL win as Rangers down Blackhawks 6-1 By ALLAN KREDA Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) --- Jonny Brodzinski scored twice, Adam Sykora scored his first goal and Dylan Garand made 27 saves for his first NHL win as the New York Rangers downed the Chicago Blackhawks 6-1 on Friday night. J.T. Miller, Matthew Robertson and Alexis Lafreniere also scored as the Rangers snapped a six-game losing streak. The 23-year-old Garand, who made his debut Sunday at home against Winnipeg, a 3-2 shootout loss, allowed only a goal by Chicago's Nick Lardis late in the first period. Chicago has lost four of its last five. Lardis finished off a passing play with Tyler Bertuzzi and Alex Vlasic late in the first. But Miller tied it less than a minute later with his 15th goal of the season. Sykora, who debuted in Wednesday's 4-3 loss at Toronto, beat Blackhawks goaltender Arvid Soderblom cleanly at 8:20 of the second. The 21-year-old Sykora was a second-round pick in 2022. Brodzinski scored 16:07 into the second period, then added his second of the game with 4 minutes left. The victory was just New York's fifth home win in regulation. New York is 10-18-7 at the Garden. Defenseman Drew Fortescue also made his Rangers debut. The 20-year-old defensemen --- a third-round pick in 2023 ---- assisted on Brodzinski's second goal. Soderblom made 33 saves.

Up next Blackhawks: Visit the New Jersey Devils on Sunday. Rangers: Host the Florida Panthers on Sunday. ___ AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL