Miller has fingerprints all over flurry

The Rangers exploded for six goals in the first period.

Defenseman K’Andre Miller had a hand in four of them.

Finishing Sunday night’s 7-0 win over the Predators with two goals and two assists, Miller became the first defenseman in Rangers history to record four points in a single period. He also joined Adam Fox, Tony DeAngelo and Tom Poti as the fourth Rangers blueliner this century to record four points in a game.

The 23-year-old defenseman scored his seventh and eighth goals of the season to establish a new careerhigh in the blowout victory. In addition to giving the Rangers a 4-0 lead and then a 6-0 lead in the first period, Miller assisted on Filip Chytil’s opening score and notched the secondary helper on Tyler Motte’s 3-0 goal.

“I can’t complain,” Miller said after the win, which improved the Rangers to 41-19-10. “It was pretty fun. I can’t tell you the last time something like that’s happened, but the puck was finding me. Couple good bounces. Like I said, can’t complain.”

Miller has already surpassed his previous careerhighs in assists (13) and points (20). After Sunday’s four-point night, Miller now has 38 points in 67 games. It was also the first multi-goal game of his NHL career.

“He’s coming every game,” head coach Gerard Gallant said of Miller. “Obviously, tonight’s game, K’Andre was outstanding. He wasn’t cheating, he wasn’t cheating the defensive side of the game. He made his rushes and he made his plays and he put pucks to the net.

“I thought he was outstanding tonight and getting four points in one period is something else for him.”

➤ Ryan Lindgren was sidelined with a shoulder injury for the 11th straight game. Gallant said he would “bet a lot” that the defenseman will be ready for the next game on Tuesday against Carolina.

➤ Jaroslav Halak earned the starting nod Sunday, his 20th start of the season. The Slovakian netminder posted his first shutout since he blanked the Rangers twice during the 2020-21 season, when he was with the Bruins.