NEW YORK (AP) — Igor Shesterkin made 32 saves, Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad each had a goal and assist, and the New York Rangers beat the New Jersey Devils 3-1 on Friday night.
Filip Chytil also scored for the Rangers, who won the final two games of their three-game homestand and improved to 6-1-1 in their last eight at home.
Nico Hischier scored for the Devils and Nico Daws made 29 saves. New Jersey has lost five of its last seven games.
Shesterkin made four saves on a third-period Devils power play as he earned his 27th win of the season. The Rangers improved to 19-1-3 when leading after two periods with their goalie playing a major role.
With the Rangers holding on to a 2-1 lead in the third, Zibanejad skated into the zone and sent a cross-ice pass to Kreider, who one-timed it in for his 36th of the season at 11:23. He moved two behind league scoring leader Leon Draisaitl of Edmonton and one behind Toronto's Auston Matthews.
Tied 1-1 after the first, Ryan Lindgren entered the offensive zone and left a pass for Chytil, who scored his sixth of the season at 8:57 of the second.
Shesterkin made
Zibanejad opened the scoring when he sent a backhand past Daws for his 21st of the season at 11:11. Zibanejad has scored the first goal of a game nine times this season, second in the NHL to Detroit's Dylan Larkin.
However, Hischier took advantage of a defensive breakdown by the Rangers and broke in alone and tied the game 2:45 later with his 16th of the season.
Daws made a good save on Barclay Goodrow, who broke in on a short-handed breakaway late in the first.
NOTES:
Hughes has played 35 games and has not taken a penalty so far this season. ... Zibanejad has points in nine of his past 12 games (six goals, seven assists). ... New York will head to Newark for the final two matchups of the season against the Devils on March 22 and April 5.
UP NEXT
Devils: Host St. Louis on Sunday afternoon.
Rangers: Start four-game road trip at Winnipeg on Sunday.
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