Rangers' Girardi scores winner vs. Coyotes in return
NEW YORK -- Defenseman Dan Girardi scored the go-ahead goal 1:55 into third period to help propel the New York Rangers to a 3-2 victory against the Arizona Coyotes at Madison Square Garden on Sunday night.
Girardi, who had missed Rangers' previous three games with a groin injury, scored his first of the season on a long slap shot that Coyotes goaltender Louis Domingue would no doubt like to have back.
The goal was Girardi's first since Nov. 12, 2015.
Left winger J.T. Miller and right winger Josh Jooris also scored for the Rangers (4-2-0), who were playing their second game in as many nights. Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist turned aside 27 shots for the victory.
Right winger Radim Vrabata scored both goals for the Coyotes (1-4-0), who received 23 saves from Domingue.
The Coyotes have lost four straight.
Vrabata made it 1-0 on the game's first shot 33 seconds into the first period. Defenseman Connor Murphy's shot from the blue line was redirected from near the slot by Vrbata and left Lundqvist with little chance to react.
Jooris responded at 12:13 with his first goal as a Ranger. The Coyotes had three defensemen on the ice following a penalty kill but they all lost track of Jooris, who took a pass from left winger Michael Grabner and tucked the puck under a fallen Domingue.
The Rangers grabbed the lead at 5:45 of the second period when Miller scored a power-play goal. Defenseman Ryan McDonagh deceived everyone with a big windup that led to a slap pass for a cutting Miller, who deflected the puck past Domingue to make it 2-1.
The Coyotes knotted the score at 2 on Vrbata's second goal, a hard wrist shot from between the face-off circles. Vrbata took a pass from center Max Domi and snapped a laser to the short side that eluded Lundqvist at 16:18.
NOTES: Coyotes G Mike Smith (lower body) is considered week-to-week after being sent home for medical tests earlier in the week. "Not a severe injury or anything like that," coach Dave Tippett told reporters. "He's in good spirits back home, and we'll see where he's at next week." ... The Coyotes scratched C Dylan Strome, D Kevin Connauton and D Jamie McBain. ... Rangers LW Chris Kreider, who leads the team through five games with three goals and seven points, did not play due to neck stiffness. ... New York D Dan Girardi returned after a three-game absence with a groin injury. ... Rangers C Oscar Lindberg made his season debut after recovering from offseason hip surgery. ... New York LW Pavel Buchnevich (back spasms) was placed on injured reserve retroactive to Wednesday. ... Rangers D Adam Clendening and D Dylan McIlrath were healthy scratches.