TAMPA, FL – MARCH 19: Nikita Kucherov #86 of the Tampa Bay Lightning skates against Filip Chytil #72 of the New York Rangers during the third period at Amalie Arena on March 19, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mark LoMoglio/NHLI via Getty Images)
TAMPA, Florida. – Mika Zibanejad scored a power-play goal with 16 seconds left in the third period and the New York Rangers beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 on Saturday night.
Jacob Trouba also scored and Igor Shesterkin stopped 28 shots for New York.
Shesterkin set a franchise record for fewest appearances for 30 wins in a season in his 41st game. Henrik Lundqvist held the previous mark, needing 46 games in 2014-15.
“I think we’re finding our game, and everyone’s enjoying it,” Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said. “A low-scoring playoff type game.”
Brayden Point scored and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 25 saves for the Lightning, which was coming off a 3-3 road trip.
“Frustration,” Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said. “We take six minors, we put a qualified team like that on the power play for 11 minutes, while our guys sit on the bench. The story of the game is: ‘Hey, how awesome the PK are. That should never be the story of the game.”
Zibanejad scored from the left circle on a fine pass from Artemi Panarin. The Rangers’ second-ranked power play went 1 for 6.
“The power play was a little off tonight until he got the game-winning goal in the end,” Gallant said. “It was a great hockey game. It was a fun game to coach.
Shesterkin stopped a close opportunity from Alex Killorn on the power play at Tampa Bay but couldn’t locate the puck before Point placed it between the goalie’s legs to open the scoring with 3:19 left in the first period.
The Lightning went 1 of 3 on their power play chances.
Trouba tied it at 1 with a rebound goal at 9:25 of the second.
Both goalies made some big saves early in the second period. Nikita Kucherov had his right circle shot on the shaft of Shesterkin’s stick, while Vasilevskiy stopped Panarin’s 3-on-1 shot on the power play.
“It was a goalie duel, for sure,” Point said.
Rangers swept the season streak (3-0) for the first time since 2012-13.
Forward Brandon Hagel, acquired by Tampa Bay from the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday, was deemed unnecessary. He played 10:40 and had a hit.
MARKER LOSSES
Panarin has just one goal in 14 games against Tampa Bay. The left winger had three shots on goal and two more that missed the net. … Lightning captain Steven Stamkos hasn’t scored a goal in his last seven games. Shesterkin stopped Stamkos’ low shot early in the third. … Rangers left-winger Chris Kreider, who has 40 goals this season, including 21 on the power play, the league’s first, failed to shoot on net.
NUMBERS
Vasilevskiy played his 350th match. … Point ended a six-game drought with his 23rd goal, in his 47th game. … Lightning D Victor Hedman assisted Point’s goal for his 256th home assist, which propelled him past Vincent Lecavalier into sole possession of third place in franchise history.
NEXT
Rangers: At Carolina Sunday night.
Lightning: At Carolina on Tuesday night to open a four-game road trip. He completes a streak of 10 out of 11 away games.
Comments are closed.