Rangers 3, Red Wings 2
NEW YORK -- Center Kevin Hayes scored with 5:38 remaining in the third period to help give the New York Rangers a 3-2 victory against the Detroit Red Wings in the regular-season finale for both teams at Madison Square Garden on Saturday afternoon.
The Red Wings clinched their 25th consecutive trip to the postseason after the Boston Bruins lost to the Ottawa Senators later Saturday. Detroit will face the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round.
The Rangers moved into third place in the Metro with 101 points. The New York Islanders are two points back with two games remaining and need to earn at least three points to secure third place. Whichever team finishes third will face the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round while the other team will earn a wild-card berth and the Florida Panthers to open the postseason.
Defenseman Dan Boyle and left winger Oscar Lindberg also scored for the Rangers. Goaltender Antti Raanta made 31 saves as the Rangers opted to rest starter Henrik Lundqvist.
Left winger Riley Sheahan scored for the Red Wings, who received 17 saves from goaltender Jimmy Howard.
The Rangers and Red Wings exchanged goals across the first two periods.
With the teams skating 4-on-4, Boyle scored his 10th of the season to give the Rangers a 1-0 lead at 16:24 of the first period. Left winger Chris Kreider sprung Boyle for a 2-on-1 opportunity that resulted in Boyle beating Howard to the stick side.
Shots in the first period were 8-7 for the Red Wings, who turned up their game in the second period.
Sheahan was credited with his 14th goal as the Red Wings tied the score at 1 on a power play at 6:42 of the second period. Center Pavel Datsyuk snapped a shot toward the net that deflected off the arm of Sheahan, who was screening Niemi, and into the net.
The Red Wings dominated the second period, outshooting the Rangers 16-7.
Hayes' winner was the result of deflection in front of the net. Defenseman Dylan McIlrath fired a shot from the right-wing boards that Hayes was able to tip past Howard for his 14th of the season.
Lindberg scored into an empty net with 2:36 remaining for a much-needed insurance goal.
Abelkader scored with 1:34 remaining and Howard on the bench to cut the score to 3-2, as he deflected a shot by center Brad Richards past Raanta.
With Howard out and two Rangers in the penalty box, the Red Wings had 19.9 seconds of 6-on-3 to end the game but could not score.
NOTES: Red Wings RW Tomas Jurco was scratched. He was replaced C Joakim Anderson. ... Rangers LW Justin Abdelkader, who left Detroit's game against the Bruins on Thursday with a lower-body injury, was in the lineup. ... The Rangers gave rest to two banged-up players, RW Mats Zuccarello and LW Viktor Stalberg. ... Rangers D Ryan McDonagh (hand) missed his third straight game and is questionable to be ready for the playoffs. ... Rangers D Dan Girardi (upper body) missed his second straight game.