Wild top Rangers for 10th straight win
NEW YORK -- A five-goal onslaught in the second period propelled the Minnesota Wild to a franchise record 10th straight victory as they defeated the New York Rangers 7-4 at Madison Square Garden on Friday night.
Wild center Charlie Coyle had an empty-net goal with 1:09 remaining and three assists and left winger Jason Zucker had a goal and two assists. Mikael Granlund, Miko Koivu, Nino Niederreiter, Matt Dumba and Marco Scandella also scored for the Wild.
Goaltender Darcy Kuemper made 31 saves to pick up the win.
Chris Kreider scored twice, including one with three minutes left in regulation for the Rangers. Derek Stepan and Ryan McDonagh also added goals for the Rangers, who have allowed 14 goals over their past two games.
Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist was credited with the loss after allowing four goals on 13 shots. Antti Raanta replaced Lundqvist during the second period and stopped five of seven shots.
The Wild and Rangers were tied at 1 after one period.
Kreider opened the scoring at 3:54 with a snap shot from the left faceoff circle after Kuemper gave the puck away behind the net. The Rangers' 1-0 lead was short-lived, as Granlund scored off a faceoff from a sharp angle to tie the score at 9:53.
The Wild scored five times in the second period to break the game open.
Koivu and Niederreiter scored 18 seconds apart during the period's opening minute to give the Wild a 3-1 lead, although McDonagh's blast from the blue line 1:19 after Niederreiter's goal pulled the Rangers within 3-2.
Scandella answered that goal 2:18 later with his first of the season to restore the Wild's two-goal lead and chase Lundqvist. Zucker made it 5-2 at 12:14 when he collected a rebound in front of Raanta and Dumba's power-play goal at 17:24 came after his first two chances were denied, but no one reacted to prevent his third successful shot attempt.
Stepan gave the Rangers some hope when he cut the lead to 6-3 with one minute remaining in the period with a pretty wrist shot off a drop pass from right winger Mats Zuccarello.
NOTES: Wild D Nate Prosser took the spot of D Christian Folin. It was the only lineup change from the Wild's 3-2 in Montreal on Thursday night. ... Wild C Eric Staal played his first game at Madison Square Garden since his stint with the Rangers last season. He was acquired at the trade deadline from Carolina and had three goals and six points in 20 games. Wild LW Zach Parise missed his second straight game with an illness. ... Rangers LW Rick Nash (groin) sat for a second consecutive game. ... Rangers D Adam Clendening replaced D Brady Skjei in the lineup.