Rangers beat Pens as both rest regulars
NEW YORK -- Jimmy Vesey's goal with 12:37 remaining helped the New York Rangers end the regular season on a positive note with a 3-2 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Madison Square Garden on Sunday night.
Vesey backhanded a loose puck over the catching glove of Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry, who made 22 saves in his NHL debut.
Ryan McDonagh and Derek Stepan scored for the Rangers, who will be on the road for Game 1 of their first-round playoff series against the Montreal Canadiens.
Rangers goaltender Magnus Hellberg stopped 22 shots in his first career start.
Nick Bonino and Carter Rowney scored for the Penguins, who will host Game 1 of their first-round playoff series against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Bonino opened the scoring when he backhanded a rebound of his own shot past Hellberg to make it 1-0 at 9:16 of the first period. It was the first goal allowed by Hellberg during his brief career after he stopped the first 11 shots he had faced in the NHL.
McDonagh answered with a goal off the rush at 13:54 to make it 1-1. He breezed across the blue line and created enough space between himself and defenseman Ron Hainsey to get off a shot that beat Jarry to the stick side.
Stepan's power-play goal with 1:29 remaining in the period gave the Rangers a 2-1 lead. Stepan whipped a shot from above the left faceoff circle that got past Jarry with help from a screen by Rick Nash just outside the crease.
Rowney's breakaway goal at 13:38 of the second period evened the score at 2. Rangers defenseman Kevin Klein had his pass deflected by Rowney, who took off from just inside the Rangers' zone and snapped a shot beyond Hellberg's glove for his fourth goal of the season.
NOTES: Key Penguins absent from the lineup included C Sidney Crosby, C Evgeni Malkin, G Matt Murray, D Justin Schultz, D Trevor Daley, LW Conor Sheary and C Matt Cullen. ... Penguins LW Phil Kessel played all 82 games this season. He has played in 610 consecutive games and hasn't missed a game since the 2009-10 season. ... The Rangers did not dress LW Chris Kreider, RW Jesper Fast, C Kevin Hayes, D Brendan Smith and G Antti Raanta, who has a minor knee issue but is expected to be ready for the playoffs.