Skinner makes 30 saves, Oilers shut out Rangers

NEW YORK -- Stuart Skinner made 30 saves for his first shutout of the season, and the Edmonton Oilers defeated the New York Rangers 2-0 at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.

Skinner got his eighth NHL shutout, and Trent Frederic and Adam Henrique scored for Edmonton (2-0-1), which began a five-game road trip.

"Huge for us, huge for us all night," Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse said of Skinner. "Obviously, there's going to be breakdowns, there's going to be moments where you got to make big saves, and he did that a handful of times for us tonight. So, very confident with him back there."

Igor Shesterkin made 20 saves for New York (2-3-0), which became the first team in NHL history to be shut out in its first three home games of a season. The Rangers, who were shut out four times in total all of last season, lost 3-0 here to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Oct. 7 and 1-0 to the Washington Capitals on Sunday.

It is the second-longest streak of being shut out at home to begin a season in NHL history behind the 1928-29 Pittsburgh Pirates (187:19).

"We're getting a lot of chances," Rangers captain J.T. Miller said. "This is a unique start to a season, and it [stinks] that we had a couple games where we feel like we've really thrown a lot at the other team and we're not getting rewarded. ... Over time, results will come."

Frederic gave the Oilers a 1-0 lead at 10:22 of the second period with a snap shot through Shesterkin's legs on a breakaway.

Skinner made 11 saves in the second period, including stopping Adam Edstrom in front off a pass from Sam Carrick. Carrick and Braden Schneider each also hit the crossbar in the period.

"What did we have in the second period? We have two crossbars that go crossbar or post that goes right by the goal line. I don't know," Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad said. "I think we're creating lots of chances. I think there's enough high-danger chances that we're creating, but we're not scoring."

Skinner also denied Carrick from in close with a glove save with 2:31 remaining in the game before Henrique’s empty-net goal at 18:52 gave the Oilers a 2-0 lead.

"I thought [Skinner] moved really well," Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said. "There was definitely a lot of scoring chances against us, more than we would have liked to give up, but he played a really strong game. Not easy saves. ... I thought he moved really well, which allowed him to make those saves."

Edmonton had 23 blocked shots, including three each by defensemen Brett Kulak, Evan Bouchard, Mattias Ekholm, Ty Emberson, and forwards Frederic and Vasily Podkolzin.

"I think it's really good for just our morale in general, being able to fight one off, being able to battle, grind and win a game in a hard way," Skinner said. "That was a man's game out there, and the way that the guys played, they deserved getting the two points tonight."

The Rangers had 74 shot attempts to 46 for the Oilers.

"If we continue to generate quality scoring chances at the rate at which we are doing, I believe that they are going to go in the net," Rangers coach Mike Sullivan said. "I think our players are too talented. I just think right now it's been a struggle finding the back of the net."

The Oilers will continue their road trip at the New York Islanders on Thursday.

"That's a team that can produce a lot of offense," Nurse said of the Rangers. "So for us to come out and lay down a blank sheet there to kick this road trip off, it's a good start, but we've got a lot of hockey yet to play."

NOTES: Skinner tied Devan Dubnyk and Bill Ranford for the fifth-most shutouts in Oilers history. Tommy Salo is first with 23. … Oilers forward Jack Roslovic made his season debut after signing a one-year contract with Edmonton on Oct. 8. He had no shots on goal in 13:10 of ice time. … Shesterkin has allowed three goals in four starts this season (0.67 goals-against average, .972 save percentage).