DETROIT — Growing up in a western suburb of Detroit, Noah Laba frequented Red Wings games at the old Joe Louis Arena. 

On Friday night against that very team, the rookie scored the game-winning goal to help secure a 4-1 win for the Rangers in front of a Little Caesars Arena crowd that included 30-plus members of his friends and family. 

“It’s hard to really explain,” Laba said of his emotions after the game. “To be able to score in this building in the National Hockey League is pretty special.” 

This was a feel-good win for more reasons than just Laba’s dream homecoming. 

The Rangers posted four goals or more for the sixth time this season, scoring twice in the third period to run away with a game they controlled for a majority of the 60 minutes.

Key players returned to the scoresheet and the team stayed poised from start to finish. 

Artemi Panarin — a bit lighter after shaving his curls off again — snapped a career-long streak of six games without a point with a three-point effort in the victory. 

Alexis Lafrenière scored his second goal of the season and the first in 12 games. 

Detroit Red Wings right wing Patrick Kane (88) attempts to score a goal as New York Rangers defenseman Braden Schneider (4), defenseman Carson Soucy (24) and goaltender Jonathan Quick (32) defend the net during the second period at Little Caesars Arena. Tim Fuller-Imagn Images

And goalie Jonathan Quick picked up his third straight win behind a 32-save performance. 

All it took was getting away from Madison Square Garden, where the team is still winless through six games. 

“Our best players were our best players,” Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan said. “I think that’s an important element of the game tonight. These guys, they care a lot. I’ve been saying that for a while now. They care a lot. It hasn’t been for a lack of effort that we haven’t generated the offense from a goal-scoring standpoint. I think they’re very capable and they showed that tonight.” 

With three goals and two assists so far, Laba has brought a strong presence to the Rangers lineup through his first 15 NHL games. 

As his experience grows, so does his confidence and comfort with the puck. Sullivan has rather quickly entrusted Laba with more ice time and special teams responsibility. 

Detroit Red Wings center Marco Kasper, left, and New York Rangers center Noah Laba chase the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game Friday, Nov. 7, 2025. AP

As Vincent Trocheck missed his 13th straight game on long-term injured reserve with an upper-body injury, the Rangers have benefited greatly from Laba’s ability to step up and fill some of the void left by No. 16. 

The Rangers’ power play, on an 0-for-12 skid in the previous five games, opened the scoring with just its fifth goal of the season. 

After getting promoted to the first power-play unit in practice Thursday, Will Cuylle wristed home a slick cross-ice pass from Mika Zibanejad for his third goal of the season and just the fifth man-advantage goal of his career. 

The Red Wings, however, responded less than five minutes later. J.T. Compher buried a feed from Mason Appleton behind the Rangers net to tie it up at one-all.

Still, the visitors held an impressive 5-1 edge in high-danger chances through the first 20 minutes on the way to finishing with a 17-4 advantage, according to Natural Stat Trick. 

New York Rangers left wing Will Cuylle (50) celebrates his goal during the first period against the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Jonathan Quick of the New York Rangers celebrates the win against the Detroit Red Wings with teammates during the third period at Little Caesars Arena on November 7, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. NHLI via Getty Images

Just as the Rangers second power play of the evening expired, Panarin found Lafrenière by the back post. Lafrenière then chipped the puck in front to Laba, who flipped it in to retake the lead for the Rangers. 

The Rangers slowed the pace as they comfortably skated with a lead. Panarin later whipped his third goal of the season past Red Wings goalie (and former Ranger) Cam Talbot off a feed from Zibanejad before Lafrenière capped the scoring in the third period. 

Asked if shaving his head was really the reason for breaking out of his funk Friday night, Panarin couldn’t help but smile. 

“I hope so,” the star Russian wing said. “Just one game. It’s not like [it] makes me a better hockey player, but more ugly, for sure.”