{{pageModel.leagueAbbr}} {{pageModel.subtitle}} | Las Vegas Review-Journal
National Hockey League
BOXSCORE | RECAP
NY Rangers 3, Winnipeg 2
When: 8:00 PM ET, Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Where: MTS Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Referees: Dan O'Rourke, Wes McCauley
Linesmen: Tony Sericolo, Derek Nansen
Attendance: 15016

Rangers 3, Jets 2: Chris Kreider scored the tiebreaking goal with 3:46 left in the third period as visiting New York halted its two-game skid and reclaimed the top spot in the Eastern Conference.

Kreider took a pass from J.T. Miller and blew past Winnipeg defenseman Dustin Byfuglien before jamming a backhander past Ondrej Pavelec while crashing into the net as the Rangers closed within two points of Anaheim in the race for the Presidents' Trophy with two games in hand. Derick Brassard added a goal and an assist and Mats Zuccarello also scored to give Henrik Lundqvist (32 saves) his first victory since Feb. 2.

Jim Slater and former Ranger Lee Stempniak scored for the Jets, who gave up a pair of one-goal leads in their second straight defeat and remained two points ahead of Los Angeles for the second wild card in the Western Conference. Pavelec turned aside 21 shots but was outdueled by Lundqvist, who made his second start since being sidelined with a vascular issue.

A hustle play by Chris Thorburn led to the opening goal, as Slater banked in a rebound from just below the end line 3:16 into the contest. Zuccarello tied it nearly 6 1/2 minutes later, racing to the front of the net to bury the rebound of Rick Nash's shot for his 15th goal.

Winnipeg reclaimed the lead on a goal by Stempniak, who ripped a shot from just inside the top of the left faceoff circle that sailed past Lundqvist high to the glove side 84 seconds into the middle period. Brassard responded with a blast from the point that beat a screened Pavelec midway through the session.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Brassard reached 40 assists for the first time, and his 17th goal moved him within one of his career high set last season. ... Slater has scored twice in the last three contests following a 26-game drought. ... Rangers RW Martin St. Louis, sidelined since March 15 with an MCL sprain, said he expects to return to the lineup for Thursday's game at Minnesota.
Top Game Performances
 
NY Rangers   Winnipeg
Derick Brassard 2 Points Jim Slater 1
Derick Brassard 1 Goals Jim Slater 1
Derick Brassard 1 Assists Adam Lowry 1
Derick Brassard 1 Power Play Goals N/A
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Henrik Lundqvist .941 Save Percentage Ondrej Pavelec .875
Henrik Lundqvist 32 Saves Ondrej Pavelec 21
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
NY Rangers 24 3 1-3 2-2 4 27
Winnipeg 34 2 0-2 2-3 6 35
Upcoming Games
  • Winnipeg will play their next game at home against Vancouver. The Jets have a W/L % of .450 after a win and .568 after a loss.
  • NY Rangers will play their next game on the road against Minnesota. The Rangers have a W/L % of .638 after a win and .621 after a loss.