Point scores twice as Lightning edge Rangers
NEW YORK -- Brayden Point's second goal of the game, with 6:39 remaining in the third period, gave the Tampa Bay Lightning a 3-2 win against the New York Rangers on Monday night at Madison Square Garden.
Point drove to the net and deflected a pass from Ondrej Palat for this 11th goal of the season.
The Lightning won their third straight and are 11-2-3 in their past 16 games. They moved within one point of a playoff spot pending the outcome of later games Monday.
Goalie Peter Budaj, making his second start for the Lightning since he was acquired before the trade deadline, made 26 saves.
Gabriel Dumont also scored for the Lightning.
Steve Kampfer and Michael Grabner had the Rangers' goals, while New York's Antti Raanta made 13 saves.
Kampfer's first goal as a Ranger and first of the season made it 1-0 at 5:53 of the first period. The Rangers won an offensive-zone faceoff, which allowed Mats Zuccarello to tee up Kampfer for a one-timer that beat Budaj to the glove side.
Point answered with his 10th goal of the season on the power play at 7:43. Point made himself available in the slot for a pass from behind the net by Nikita Kucherov and snapped a shot to the blocker side of Raanta to knot the game at 1.
Dumont put the Lightning ahead 2-1 at 5:04 of the second period by deflecting a point shot from defenseman Jason Garrison that left Raanta no time to react to the change of direction.
Garrison was the goat on Grabner's 27th goal at 10:22. He fanned on a pass in his own zone, which allowed Grabner to gather the loose puck, skate in alone and beat a helpless Budaj to tie the game at 2. NOTES: Lightning C Vladislav Namestnikov returned from a one-game absence caused by a lower-body injury but appeared to aggravate the ailment late in the second period. He did not return for the third period. ... Lightning C Tyler Johnson (lower body) and C Cedric Paquette each missed a second game in a row. ... Lightning C Steven Stamkos continues to rehab his knee, but no timetable has been given for his return. ... Rangers D Kevin Klein (back) and D Dan Girardi (ankle) did not play. Klein has not played since Feb. 21, and Girardi has been out since Feb. 26. Girardi could be back this week.