Rangers 2, Ducks 1
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Defenseman Kevin Klein scored twice to give the New York Rangers a 2-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday night in front of 15,400 at the Honda Center.
Klein registered the first two-goal game of his career while goalie Antti Raanta stopped 22 shots for the Rangers (40-23-7), who moved into second place in the Metropolitan Division by two points over the New York Islanders.
Left winger Jamie McGinn scored for the Ducks (38-22-9), who received 21 saves from goalie John Gibson but sustained their fourth loss in five games. Anaheim remained four points behind the first-place Los Angeles Kings and one point ahead of the San Jose Sharks in the Pacific Division.
Klein used his eighth goal of the season to break a 1-1 tie with 6:41 to play. Eric Staal began the scoring play by passing from the left point through Anaheim defenseman Korbinian Holzer's legs toward the onrushing Klein near the right post.
The puck glanced off the left skate of Ducks defenseman Hampus Lindholm, then caromed off Klein's stick past Gibson.
The Ducks took a 1-0 lead with 5:57 left in the first period by forcing and exploiting a turnover. As Klein circled with the puck at the left circle, Corey Perry stole it with a sweeping poke check. Perry then passed to McGinn, who converted a wrist shot from the slot inside the left post for his 17th goal.
But Klein tied the score 3:11 into the second period. Gibson used his stick to block Tanner Glass's shot from the left circle, but the rebound ricocheted all the way to the right circle, where Klein waited. With Gibson out of position, Klein shot the puck into an open net.
NOTES: New York scratched C Oscar Lindberg and D Dylan McIlrath. ... Rangers LW Tanner Glass returned to the line-up after missing Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Penguins because of an upper-body injury. ... Rangers D Marc Staal played his 605th game for the club to tie Dave Maloney for 20th place on the team's all-time list. ... Rangers D Keith Yandle played in his 536th consecutive game. Yandle's streak is the second longest among active players. Ducks LW Andrew Cogliano appeared in his 691st successive game Wednesday night. ... Anaheim scratched D Kevin Bieksa, C Mike Santorelli, C Nate Thompson and D Sami Vatanen. ... Ducks RW Brandon Pirri made his team debut. Pirri, acquired from the Florida Panthers on Feb. 28, missed 13 games after injuring his left ankle Feb. 13 against the Nashville Predators. ... Ducks C Shawn Horcoff needs four appearances to reach 1,000 career NHL games. ... Bruce Boudreau earned his 200th victory as the Ducks' coach with Monday night's 7-1 rout of the New Jersey Devils.