Zuccarello lifts Rangers past Bruins in OT
BOSTON -- Mats Zuccarello scored a power-play goal 1:56 into overtime, giving the New York Rangers a 3-2 decision over Boston for their seventh straight victory over the Bruins on Saturday.
The Bruins, who had erased a two-goal deficit to force the OT, were called for their second too-many-men penalty of the game to set up the winner.
Zuccarello, getting the puck in the right faceoff circle, waited, waited and, with Chris Kreider serving as a screen, fired a wrist shot over the shoulder of Tuukka Rask for the win, ending Boston's three-game winning streak.
Henrik Lundqvist made 33 saves in the New York goal to raise his career record against Boston to 27-12-2.
Rask made 25 saves but saw his personal five-game winning streak snapped as Boston fell to 15-10-5.
Despite blowing the lead, the Rangers (18-12-3) improved to 12-0-0 when leading after two periods.
Michael Grabner (his 16th) and J.T. Miller scored for the Rangers. Grabner scored when his shot went over the net and bounced back into the crease, Rask knocking it into his own net. Miller scored on a power-play breakaway off a pass from Ryan McDonagh.
Danton Heinen scored a goal late in the second period to cut New York's lead in half and Brad Marchand converted a pass from David Pastrnak for a power-play goal at 5:38 of the third period.
Pastrnak has an 11-game points streak and Marchand has a point in eight straight.
Ryan Spooner, who had missed the last four and 19 of the last 24 games for the Bruins with a groin injury, returned and scored an apparent early goal. Bu the Rangers challenged and the goal was overturned due to an offside. Spooner then assisted on Marchand's tying goal.
NOTES: With LW Ryan Spooner back for Boston, struggling rookie Anders Bjork was a healthy scratch. Spooner scored an early goal that was overturned. ... Rangers coach Alain Vigneault notched his 200th win behind the New York bench Friday night. ... Bruins C Patrice Bergeron's second goal Thursday was the 265th of his career, moving him past Bobby Orr into eighth place on the team's all-time goals list, 11 behind Wayne Cashman. ... New York C Mika Zibanejad missed his ninth straight game with a concussion but is nearing a return. ... The Bruins host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday night while the Anaheim Ducks visit the Rangers on Tuesday. ... Most of the Bruins arrived at TD Garden wearing festive Christmas garb.