Rangers' Lundqvist celebrates 35th birthday with victory
BOSTON -- Henrik Lundqvist celebrated his 35th birthday in grand style Thursday night.
The veteran goaltender turned aside 32 shots and came within 7:04 of a shutout in carrying the New York Rangers to a 2-1 victory over the surging Boston Bruins.
The Rangers, who ended a two-game losing streak, had only 21 shots on Tuukka Rask, but third-period goals by Pavel Buchnevich and Oscar Lindberg staked Lundqvist to the lead. Several of his saves, especially in the first two periods, were spectacular.
The third loss in as many games against New York this season dropped the Bruins to 7-2 under Bruce Cassidy and handed the interim coach his first loss in five home games.
The win lifted the Rangers to 22-8-0 on the road with the 22 wins tops in the NHL.
Buchnevich, who had two goals, including the overtime winner, and an assist for the Hartford Wolfpack of the American Hockey League on Wednesday night, scored 5:10 into the third period. Lindberg scored 4:25 later.
The Bruins ended Lundqvist's bid for his 62nd career shutout when during a delayed penalty, Brad Marchand jammed home a rebound after a strong effort from David Pastrnak.
The goal was the 12th in the last 14 games for Marchand.
The two goals gave the Rangers 86 third-period goals this season, the most by any NHL team in any period this season.
Lundqvist defeated the Bruins for the 25th time in his career.
NOTES: LW Michael Grabner, the Rangers' leading goal scorer with 26, was out because of a hip injury suffered in practice Wednesday. ... RW Pavel Buchnevich was recalled from Hartford by the Rangers, who were also without Ds Dan Girardi and Kevin Klein, and RW Jesper Fast. ... D Brendan Smith, acquired from the Detroit Red Wings, made his Rangers debut and played a strong game. ... RW Drew Stafford, acquired by the Bruins from the Winnipeg Jets at the deadline, arrived but did not play, meeting the media in the press box after the second period. ... The Rangers host the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night in a possible first-round playoff preview while the Bruins host the New Jersey Devils the same night.