Keith Yandle set up two first-period power-play goals and Henrik Lundqvist made 39 saves as the New York Rangers beat Boston 5-2 on Wednesday night, sending the Bruins to a season-high fourth straight loss.
Mats Zuccarello, Derek Stepan, Derick Brassard, J.T. Miller and Rick Nash scored for New York, who won their second straight and inched a little closer to securing a spot in the playoffs with eight games left in the regular season.
Lee Stempniak, who had a first-period tally disallowed after an offside review and another shot gloved off the line by Lundqvist in the third period, scored for the Bruins along with Frank Vatrano. The Bruins have five goals in their skid.
Photo: AP
The Bruins could not catch a break in this one, either with the replays or the officials. They gave the Rangers the first five man-power advantages, and New York converted on two of the first three in a game in which they were outshot 41-24.
ISLANDERS 3, SENATORS 1
In New York, Brock Nelson and Matt Martin scored 21 seconds apart in the second period as New York beat Ottawa to snap a season-high four-game losing streak.
John Tavares also scored in the Islanders’ three-goal second period and rookie goalie Jean-Francois Berube, making just his fourth career start, stopped 22 shots.
New York, holding the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, got a needed victory in their playoff push after going 1-4-2 in their previous seven games while getting outscored 22-11.
The Islanders pulled within one point of Pittsburgh for third place in the Metropolitan Division and moved four points ahead of Philadelphia and Detroit, who are tied for the East’s second and final wild card.
Mark Stone scored and Andrew Hammond finished with 20 saves for Ottawa, who lost their second straight after winning three of four.
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