Stepan leads Rangers past Bolts for fifth win in row

2011-12 Game No. 23; Road Game No. 14	Rangers' Record: 15-5-3
VIDEO: HIGHLIGHT OF THE GAME

GAME RECAP Associated Press Derek Stepan had a tiebreaking goal and added an assist, helping the Rangers extend their winning streak to five with a 4-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday night. Stepan, who took a shot off his left ankle in Thursday's 5-3 win over Carolina, gave the Blueshirts a 3-2 lead on a low slot rebound goal with 3:19 left in the game. Brad Richards scored an empty-netter in the final minute. The Rangers also got goals from Ruslan Fedotenko and Artem Anisimov. Henrik Lundqvist stopped 24 shots. Steve Downie and Tom Pyatt scored for the Lightning, who have lost five of seven. Mathieu Garon made 32 saves. Tampa Bay went ahead 2-1 when Pyatt scored from the low left circle with 2:18 left in the second. Anisimov made it 2-2 at 6:16 of the third after a Tampa Bay defensive zone turnover. Fedotenko tied it at 1 at 6:38 of the second with an in-close backhander off a pass from Richards. Both were key members of Tampa Bay's 2004 Stanley Cup championship team, which was coached by current Rangers coach John Tortorella. Downie put the Lightning up 1-0 from the high slot 84 seconds into the game.  The contest was penalty-free until Lightning defenseman Pavel Kubina received an elbowing minor with 7:35 to go in the third.

PHOTO OF THE GAME STAT OF THE GAME The Blueshirts' 33 points through 23 games to start the season is the most since they recorded 34 points in 23 games (16-5-2) to begin the 1993-94 Stanley Cup championship season. THREE STARS (selected by newyorkrangers.com) 1. Stepan 2. Anisimov 3. McDonagh

---

THE BIGGER PICTURE You know an NHL team is playing well -- really, really well -- when you get to the point where you can no longer envision them losing a game. That's where these Rangers are at now with the best winning percentage (.717) in the entire NHL. Enough said.

RANGERS LEADERS Icetime -- Girardi (28:29) Shots -- Anisimov (5) Hits -- Girardi, Callahan (6) Blocks -- Girardi (4) Takeaways -- Anisimov (3) Faceoffs -- Richards (25)

NEW YORK RANGERS LINEUP AT TAMPA BAY
FORWARD LINES
Left Wing	Center	Right Wing
Ruslan Fedotenko	Brad Richards	Ryan Callahan
Artem Anisimov	Derek Stepan	Marian Gaborik
Carl Hagelin	Brian Boyle	John Mitchell
Sean Avery	Brandon Dubinsky	Brandon Prust

DEFENSE PAIRINGS
Left Defense	Right Defense
Ryan McDonagh	Dan Girardi
Michael Del Zotto	Michael Sauer
Jeff Woywitka	Steve Eminger
Goaltenders: Henrik Lundqvist, Martin Biron Starting Lineup: Lundqvist, McDonagh, Girardi, Fedotenko, Richards, Callahan.

POWER PLAY UNITS
FORWARD LINES
Left Wing	Center	Right Wing
Callahan/Boyle	Brad Richards	Marian Gaborik

POINT MEN
Left Point	Right Point
Michael Del Zotto	Stepan/Girardi

PENALTY KILLING UNITS
FORWARD UNITS
Forward	Forward
Dubinsky/Anisimov	Brian Boyle
Ruslan Fedotenko	Derek Stepan

DEFENSE PAIRINGS
Left Defense	Right Defense
Ryan McDonagh	Dan Girardi
Michael Del Zotto	Michael Sauer