Zibanejad scored late, Rangers beat Lightning

TAMPA, FL – Mika Zibanejad scored a tiebreaking 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 fired and Igor Shesterkin stopped 28 shots for New York.

Shesterkin set a franchise record for the fewest appearances for 30 wins in a season in his 41st game. Henrik Lundqvist kept the previous mark, needing 46 players in 2014-15.

“I think we love our game, and everyone enjoys it,” Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said. “A low-scoring playoff type game.”

Brayden Point shot and Andrei Vasilevskiy had 25 saves for Lightning that came from a 3-3 road trip.

“Frustration,” said Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper. “We take six minors, we put such a qualified team on the powerplay for 11 minutes while our guys sit on the bench. The story of the game is, ‘Hey, how great is the PK. It should never be the story of the game. “

Zibanejad shot from the left circle of a fine pass from Artemi Panarin. The Rangers’ second-ranked Power Play went 1 for 6.

“Power play was a bit off tonight until it got to the winning goal at the end,” Gallant said. “It was a great hockey stick. It was a fun game for coaches.”

Shesterkin stopped a close chance from Alex Killorn during a power play in Tampa Bay but could not locate the puck before the point picked it up between the goalkeeper’s legs to open the scoring with 3:19 left in the first period.

The Lightning went 1 on 3 on their power-play chances.

Trouba equalized on 1 with a rebound goal at 9:25 from the second.

Both goals had big saves early in the second period. Nikita Kucherov fired his right-footed shot from Shesterkin’s piece, while Vasilevskiy stopped Panarin’s 3-on-1 shot during a powerplay.

“It was a goalkeeper duel, for sure,” Point said.

The Rangers beat the season series (3-0) for the first time since 2012-13.

Forward Brandon Hagel, picked up from Tampa Bay by the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday, was considered senseless. He played 10:40 and had one shot.

SCORER’S SLUMPS

Panarin has just one goal in 14 games against Tampa Bay. The left wing had three shots on goal, and two others missed the net. … Blitz captain Steven Stamkos has not scored in his last seven games. Shesterkin stopped Stamkos’ low slot shot early in the third. … Rangers left wing Chris Kreider, who has scored 40 goals this season, including 21 leaders in powerplay, had no shot on goal.

NUMBERS

Vasilevskiy played in his 350th game. … Point stopped a six-game goal drought with his 23rd goal, coming in his 47th game. … Lightning D Victor Hedman assists on Point’s goal for his 256th assist at home, which moved him past Vincent Lecavalier into sole possession of third place in franchise history.

OP Next

Rangers: At Carolina Sunday night.

Lightning: Pa. Carolina on Tuesday night to open a four-game trip. It completed a stretch of 10 of 11 games away from home.

(© Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, transmitted, rewritten or redistributed.)