Rookie Gabe Perreault adds latest high to promising Rangers season with hat trick in win

Gabe Perreault grabbed the baton.One of the Rangers’ most promising young players became the latest rookie to add optimism to the final leg of this lost season, recording his first career hat trick in Saturday’s 4-1 win over the Red Wings at Madison Square Garden and helping the team claim its fourth win in the past five games.Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mollie Walker about the inside buzz on the Rangers.

In the antepenultimate home game of a season that will end with one of the Rangers’ worst home records in the franchise’s 100-year history, the 20-year-old former first-round pick gave the packed crowd a rare memory worth carrying into next season.Perreault became the fourth Rangers rookie in the past 30 years to record a hat trick, and one of five rookies in the league to do so this season.His three multi-goal games this season are tied for second most among NHL rookies despite appearing in only 45 games. “The trust that he’s earning from his coaches and his teammates, he’s becoming a great player right in front of us,” captain J.T.

Miller said.“It’s exciting to think he’s 20 years old.

He’s only gonna get stronger and better and faster, and what he’s been able to do for us is really impressive.He’s just got a really good nose for the game and he’s super smart and has that skill when he gets a chance to make some plays.”The game — which featured 31 saves from Jonathan Quick — started in surreal fashion for Perreault, lining up against Patrick Kane.“He was my favorite player growing up,” Perreault said.

“I looked up to him.On that first draw, I’m like, ‘Holy sh–t, I’m next to Patrick Kane.’ ”Fellow Rangers rookie Jaroslav Chmelar opened the scoring by redirecting a blast from Vladislav Gavrikov with 6:41 left in the first period.

It was Chmelar’s fourth goal of the season and second in the past three games.Fellow rookie Adam Sykora wa...