DeSmith has 52 saves as Penguins blank Bruins

PITTSBURGH — Casey DeSmith made a careerhigh 52 saves and Jake Guentzel scored three goals as the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Boston Bruins 4-0 on Thursday night.

Guentzel completed the hat trick with an emptynetter, his 40th goal of the season, as Pittsburgh moved two points ahead of Washington for third place in the Metropolitan Division. The Penguins, Bruins and Capitals have already secured playoff spots but are fighting for seeding in the Eastern Conference. Pittsburgh and Boston are knotted at 99 points apiece.

Jason Zucker also scored for the Penguins, who have won three of five following a four-game losing streak. The Penguins lost 2-1 at Boston on Saturday.

Jeremy Swayman made 28 saves for the Bruins, whose two-game winning streak ended. Boston has lost five of eight overall.

DeSmith’s shutout was his third of the season and ninth overall. With Tristan Jarry week-to-week with a lower-body injury, DeSmith is likely to remain Pittsburgh’s starting goaltender into the playoffs.

Guentzel opened the scoring at 7:49 of the first period. He fired a wrist shot between Swayman’s pads from the slot off the rush.

Boston outshot Pittsburgh 10-0 through the first six minutes of the second period, but the Penguins extended their lead on their first shot. Jeff Carter made a one-touch redirect pass through the neutral zone to spring Zucker, who beat Swayman to the glove side with a wrist shot. It was his fourth goal in eight games.

Guentzel made it a 3-0 game late in the second. After a Bruins giveaway in their own zone, Kris Letang sent a cross-ice pass to Guentzel, who beat a sprawled Swayman up high.

RANGERS 6, ISLANDERS 3

NEW YORK — Andrew Copp scored three goals in the first period, Chris Kreider got his 51st of the season, and the New York Rangers beat the crosstown-rival Islanders.

Ryan Strome had a goal and an assist, Ryan Reaves also scored, Artemi Panarin had four assists and Adam Fox added three to help the Rangers win their fourth straight and seventh in their last eight. Alexandar Georgiev had 26 saves to improve to 14-9-2.

The Rangers remained tied with Carolina atop the Metropolitan Division with 108 points. Carolina, which holds the tiebreaker with one more regulation win, beat Winnipeg 4-2.

Brock Nelson scored twice, Josh Bailey had a goal and an assist, and Semyon Varlamov finished with 17 saves for the Islanders, who are 3-5-1 in their last nine.