It was a lengthy, late game filled with video reviews that went the Rangers’ way. But, mainly, it was a second straight strong performance at Madison Square Garden.
“It’s a great time of the year,” goalie Henrik Lundqvist said. “We’re getting closer and closer to that first step.”
The Rangers beat the struggling Bruins, 5-2, with a goal and two assists from Derek Stepan, a goal and assist from Mats Zuccarello, two superb assists from Keith Yandle and Lundqvist’s 39 saves.
But they were also helped that ex-Ranger Lee Stempniak, despite scoring once, had two other potential goals not count after a coach’s challenge and a video review.
“I thought we did a great job managing the puck tonight,” said Stepan, who has reached 40 points in each of his first six NHL seasons to become the second Ranger in franchise history to do so (Steve Vickers). “We have to make sure when we go out there we are playing at a high level. We are in our playoff push right now.”
The Rangers (42-24-8), now 25-8-3 at home, have a four-point lead for second in the Metropolitan Division after also beating the visiting Panthers, 4-2, on Monday.
The fourth-place Islanders, snapping a three-game losing streak, kept pace with the Rangers by beating the visiting Senators, 3-1. The Islanders are five points back of the Rangers, and have played two fewer games; and just one point behind the third-place Penguins, who also have played two fewer games than the Rangers.
The Bruins (39-27-8), who outshot the Rangers, 41-24, but allowed two power-play goals in New York’s six chances, have now lost four straight.
“It’s been two solid games,” said J.T. Miller, who made it 4-1 at 6:32 of the third period as he reached 20 goals for the first time in his career. “The power play was great. The [2-for-2] penalty kill has been great. Guys were coming back on defense and holding the blue line. Most of their chances came from an angle.”
Lundqvist made his best save when he stretched with his glove to keep Stempniak’s rebound attempt from going in at the left post at 3:35 of the third period. After a review, the on-ice call of no goal stood because there was not video evidence to overturn it.
“When I made it, I thought for sure it was safe,” Lundqvist said. “That was my first reaction. I didn’t realize it was that close.”
Lundqvist later slid to his left to rob Patrice Bergeron with a glove save at 17:00, and Rick Nash shot into an empty net seven seconds later to complete the scoring.
The Bruins had lost all three games on the California swing, and goalie Tuukka Rask started despite feeling ill. He lasted just one period _ allowing two power-play goals on eight shots _ and was replaced by Jonas Gustavsson.
Yandle, a Boston native, fed Zuccarello with a seeing-eye pass for a sharp-angle shot from the right to open the scoring at 8:37 of the first period. Yandle, on the rush, then fed Stepan for an easy-tap in to make it 2-0 at 11:39.
“It gets the group going,” Yandle said of the power-play goals. “Late in the season, your specialty teams have to be good.”
Stempniak’s potential goal at 10:55 of the first period was overturned after the Rangers successfully challenged that the Bruins _ Patrice Bergeron being the offender _ were offside.
The Rangers extended their lead to 3-0 on Derick Brassard’s rising slap shot from the left circle over Gustavsson’s glove and under the crossbar at 5:26 of the second period.
But Stempniak did score a goal that counted at 9:34 to cut the Rangers’ lead to 3-1.