Rookie scores in fourth straight game; Rangers win 4-1
CALGARY, Alberta -- Backed by a 35-save performance from goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, the New York Rangers beat the Calgary Flames 4-1 on Saturday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
Rookie left winger Pavel Buchnevich ran his goal-scoring streak to four games for the Rangers (11-4-0), who will continue their four-game road trip with a visit to Edmonton to face the Oilers on Sunday night.
Right winger Michael Grabner, center Derek Stepan and left winger Jimmy Vesey also scored for the Rangers, who rebounded from a 5-3 loss to the Vancouver Canucks at home on Tuesday.
Left winger Micheal Ferland scored the lone goal of the game in the third period for Calgary.
Goalie Brian Elliott finished with 24 saves for the Flames (5-10-1), who have lost four straight games and six of their past seven.
Ferland broke Lundqvist's shutout bid at 11:12 of the third period when he converted a feed from defenseman TJ Brodie during a man advantage for the Flames. It was the first power-play goal on home ice for the Flames in 28 opportunities.
Grabner opened the scoring at 6:32 of the first period when he snapped a shot to the top corner over Elliott's glove hand to give New York an early lead.
The Rangers extended that advantage to 2-0 at 11:59 when Stepan took a return pass from center Chris Kreider for an easy tap-in goal.
Although the Flames outshot the Rangers 10-9 in the first period, they weren't able to beat Lundqvist, who stopped a breakaway attempt by left winger Johnny Gaudreau with one minute to play before the intermission.
Lundqvist had to be sharp early in the second period to stop a shot from in tight off the stick of Flames center Freddie Hamilton before standing his ground to turn aside a point shot from defenseman Mark Giordano that was deflected.
Two rookies put the Rangers up 4-0 in the second as Vesey redirected a pass from defenseman Ryan McDonagh through Elliott's legs at 9:26 before Buchnevich finished off a nice three-way passing play at 14:22.
NOTES: New York C Josh Jooris missed his eighth straight game with a shoulder injury. Jooris played two seasons for the Flames before signing as a free agent with the Rangers in July. ... New York D Adam Clendening and C Oscar Lindberg sat out as healthy scratches. ... The Flames recalled RW Garnet Hathaway from the Stockton Heat of the American Hockey League on Saturday. Hathaway was one of Calgary's healthy scratches along with D Jyrki Jokipakka. ... Flames rookie RW Matthew Tkachuk missed his second straight game because of a cut on his wrist that he sustained in practice Wednesday. ... The Flames were also without RW Kris Versteeg (groin) and C Lance Bouma (upper body). ... After scoring 15 goals in 60 games in 2015-16, Rangers RW Rick Nash netted seven in his first 14 games this season. He scored his 400th career goal in a 5-3 loss at home to the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday.