Rangers rally for OT win over Devils
NEWARK, N.J. -- Mika Zibanejad's eighth goal of the season, 1:16 into overtime, lifted the New York Rangers to their league-leading 21st road victory and capped an exciting comeback in a 4-3 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Saturday at the Prudential Center.
Trailing 3-2, the Rangers forced overtime on an Adam Clendening goal with 4:25 remaining in regulation.
New Jersey's Kyle Palmieri scored twice earlier in the period, his team-high 17th and 18th goals, to give the Devils their first lead at 3-2.
Cory Schneider sparkled in the Devils' net with 36 saves. Antti Raanta also stopped 36 shots for the Rangers (39-20-2).
The Rangers carried a 2-1 lead into the third period, but the Devils had momentum after Adam Henrique's goal 1:32 before the second intermission. Henrique beat Raanta on a wraparound for his 16th goal of the season, cutting the Rangers' lead in half.
New York raced to an early two-goal advantage on first-period goals by Chris Kreider and Oscar Lindberg. Kreider was credited with his 23rd goal of the season on a deflection of Dan Girardi's slap shot at 6:40. Lindberg followed by burying a left-wing shot off an odd-man rush at 17:32.
Raanta was exceptionally strong in the opening period, when he stopped all 15 Devils shots, including a flashy glove save on a Taylor Hall blast in the final minute.
Schneider responded in the second period by denying all 17 shots the Rangers fired at him. His two best stops came in succession against Nick Holden and Kevin Hayes after defensive-zone miscues by his Devils teammates.
NOTES: The Devils were 1 of 2 on the power play and are five for their last nine the past four games. ... Rangers D Kevin Klein (back spasms) missed his second straight game. The Devils were without C Pavel Zacha (concussion). ... The Devils also scratched D John Moore and D Seth Helgeson, and the Rangers scratched RW Pavel Buchnevich and LW Matt Puempel.