Associated Press
Brad Richards scored 2:37 into overtime to give the Rangers a 4-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden
Rangers forward Brian Boyle tied it at 10:13 of the third period, pouncing on a loose puck and driving it past Mathieu Garon. The last half of the period was a fast-paced flurry of hits, scoring opportunities and saves.
Steven Stamkos scored his NHL-best 36th goal of the season in the first period and added an assist for Tampa Bay, which has lost three of four.
Derek Stepan scored and had an assist for the Rangers, who lead the Eastern Conference and have taken points in six of their last seven games.
On the game-winning goal, Richards rushed in to the left of Garon as Artem Anisimov carried the puck up the middle. He passed off, and Richards had to lunge forward to score, winding up on his knees as the puck went in, giving the Rangers a win in a game they led for less than a minute, though they outshot Tampa Bay 31-17.
Bruno Gervais put the Lightning up on the power play at 12:26 of the second after the teams scored three goals in 75 seconds early in the period.
The Rangers tied it when Ryan Callahan converted on the power play 4:33 into the period, and Stepan gave the Rangers the lead at 5:27. It lasted all of 21 seconds.
Vincent Lecavalier was stopped on the doorstep by Martin Biron, but the goalie had to venture out past the left post and Callahan filled the net, making him a target for Lecavalier to bounce the puck off of and in to tie the game.
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STATS OF THE GAME
Brad Richards' overtime goal was his team-high, seventh game-winning goal (tied for second in the league) of the season, and his second career overtime, game-winner (first since his rookie season in 2000-01). The Rangers’ .702 win% through 52 games is the team’s best start in 39 years, when the 1972-73 Blueshirts began the season with a 35-13-4 record (.712 winning percentage), and is tied as the second best start in franchise history.
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| (selected by the local media) |
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| 1. Boyle |
2. Richards |
3. Callahan |
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[38-36-8]
[51-24-7]