Zibanejad scores 2 in 3rd as Rangers stop 5-game slide
BOSTON — Mika Zibanejad scored two of New York’s four third-period goals, and the Rangers ended their season with a 5-4 victory over the Boston Bruins on Saturday to halt a five-game losing streak.
Alexis Lafrenière and Vitali Kravtsov also scored in a wild third when the Rangers turned a 2-1 deficit to a 4-2 edge. K’Andre Miller added a goal for the Rangers, and Keith Kinkaid made 28 saves before leaving with an injury midway into the third. Igor Shesterkin finished up in net with seven saves.
New York, which was eliminated from the playoffs, will finish in fifth in the NHL’s East division. It ended a strange week for the Rangers, who fired their president and general manager and were fined by the NHL.
“The last 10 days or so have been kind of crazy,” said Zibanejad, who finished up with 24 goals and 26 assists. “We got the win and got to finish up the season in somewhat of a nice way.”
David Pastrnak scored his 200th career goal, Brad Marchand had his team-leading 28th, and Patrice Bergeron and Nick Ritchie also scored for the Bruins, who had earned at least a point in their previous six games (5-0-1). Tuukka Rask stopped 18 shots.
“They definitely came up hard and I felt like we weren’t ready,” Pastrnak said. “We’ve got to learn and move on.”
Boston can clinch third in the East if the New York Islanders lose Saturday night or by earning two points in its final two games. The Bruins host the Islanders on Monday night.
Zibanejad tied it 2-2 with a wrister from the slot 5:01 after Pastrnak scored on a one-timer from the right circle 21 seconds into the third.
“It’s just perplexing how it all happened at once,” Boston coach Bruce Cassidy said of the Bruins falling apart.
Lafrenière cut in alone and slipped a backhander over Rask at 7:26. Kravtsov then one-timed in a shot in at 9:36.
Marchand’s power-play goal sliced it to 4-3 with 5:52 left in the third, but Zibanejad’s second of the game and 200thofhiscareermadeit5-3. Bergeron scored with Rask pulled for an extra skater, but the Rangers held on.
“You’re talking about an elite hockey player,” Rangers coach David Quinn said of Zibanejad. “To finish with 50 points after the start he had shows the type of player he is.”