Zibanejad scores in overtime as Rangers beat Blackhawks for their 4th straight win
CHICAGO — Mika Zibanejad scored 2:36 into overtime, and the New York Rangers beat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 on Friday night for their fourth consecutive victory.
Chris Kreider, Alexis Lafreniere and Jonny Brodzinski scored for New York, which carried a 3-1 lead into the third period. Kreider also set up Zibanejad's winning goal for his 24th assist on the season.
Igor Shesterkin made 28 saves for New York in his first start since Jan. 26. The All-Star goaltender went 4-5-1 with an .863 save percentage in his previous 10 games.
The Rangers went 0 for 3 with the man advantage, running their streak of empty power plays to 14 in a row over their last six games. But Zibanejad's 16th goal of the season, beating Petr Mrazek on the glove side, closed out the win for New York.
Nick Foligno, Jason Dickinson and Alex Vlasic scored for Chicago in its sixth consecutive loss. Mrazek made 31 stops.
Foligno started the third-period rally when he stuffed in a rebound at 13:37, and Dickinson tied it at 3 when he tipped home Seth Jones' shot with 1:02 remaining. It was No. 11 for Foligno and a team-high 16th goal for Dickinson.
The Blackhawks outshot the Rangers 12-4 in the third period.
Chicago opened the scoring when Vlasic beat a screened Shesterkin from beyond the left circle 2:39 into the first. But Lafreniere responded for New York at 4:49, knocking home a slick setup by K'Andre Miller.
Lafreniere has three goals in his last four games and 14 on the season. The 22-year-old forward scored 16 goals in 81 games last year.
The Rangers then turned a bad break for the Blackhawks into a tiebreaking score.
Chicago forward Boris Katchouk lost a skate when he blocked a shot and was pushed to the bench by defenseman Isaak Phillips. That turned into a 2-on-1 rush for New York, and Kreider redirected Adam Fox's pass into the goal at 6:16 for his 24th on the season.
New York opened a 3-1 lead 9:02 into the second. Brodzinski jumped on a loose puck in front for his third goal in four games and No. 4 on the season.
UP NEXT
Rangers: Host the Calgary Flames on Monday night.
Blackhawks: Host the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night.