Kreider scores twice in 3rd as Rangers ice Penguins 4-2

NEW YORK (AP) — Chris Kreider scored the go-ahead goal in the third period and added an emptynetter, and Igor Shesterkin made 30 saves as the New York Rangers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-2 on Thursday night.

Kreider scored at 11:45 by sliding the puck past goaltender Tristan Jarry with Penguins defenseman Brian Dumoulin draped all over the New York forward in the crease. Kreider then scored his 30th of the season into empty net at 19:10 to seal the win and give the thirdplace Rangers a 10-point lead over Pittsburgh in the Metropolitan Division.

Mika Zibanejad and Tyler Motte also scored for the Rangers, who won for the eighth time in their last 10 home games. They are 11-4-0 in their past 15 at Madison Square Garden.

New York is 6-1-1 in its last eight home games against Pittsburgh, and the teams will square off again Saturday night at The Garden. Penguins forward Jake Guentzel tied it 2-all at 9:09 of the third with his 30th goal after Motte put the Rangers ahead 2-1 late in the second.

Motte’s unassisted goal at 16:53 came just more than two minutes after Pittsburgh’s Rickard Rakell evened the game.

The goal was Motte’s first since returning to the Rangers in a trade with Ottawa on Feb. 19. Motte was a valuable contributor in New York’s postseason run last spring and has been part of an effective fourth line in recent games with Barclay Goodrow and Jimmy Vesey.

Zibanejad opened the scoring with his teamleading 35th goal at 2:51 of the first, taking a banked pass off the left boards by Artemi Panarin before skating in on Jarry and rifling the puck past the Penguins netminder. It was the ninth time this season Zibanejad scored the opening goal. He has 21 points — including 13 goals — in his last 19 games.

Vladimir Tarasenko also assisted and has points in nine of his first 17 games with the Rangers.

Panarin leads the Rangers with 55 assists and 75 points overall.

Rakell tied it at 14:40 of the second with his 24th goal. It also marked Rakell’s 400th career point.

The Rangers were coming off a 5-3 home win over Washington on Tuesday, while the Penguins lost at home to Montreal the same day.

The Penguins beat the Rangers 3-2 in overtime at home last Sunday and also downed New York 3-2 on Dec. 20 in Pittsburgh.

Penguins defenseman Jeff Petry didn’t return after absorbing an unpenalized elbow from Motte early in the first period.

Penguins captain Sidney Crosby assisted on both Pittsburgh goals. He leads the team with 83nd points, ensuring the 35-year-old Penguins star will average a point per game for the 18th time in his 18 NHL seasons. In 81 career games against the Rangers, Crosby has 38 goals and 66 assists.