Zibanejad Scores Hat Trick As Rangers Rally To Top Devils

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Mika Zibanejad capped his second career hat trick with the winning goal with 4:36 to play and the New York Rangers rallied from an early two-goal deficit to beat the New Jersey Devils 4-3 on Thursday night.

Zibanejad also had an assist on Chris Kreider's goal, and linemate Mats Zuccarello had three assists, including the backhand pass that set up Zibanejad's backhand winner. The line had eight points.

Henrik Lundqvist made 19 saves, including a stop on a tip by Brian Boyle after the Devils pulled goaltender Keith Kinkaid.

Nico Hischier, Marcus Johansson and Egor Yakovlev scored for New Jersey. Kinkaid finished with 21 saves.

Kreider gave the Rangers a 3-2 lead early in the third period with a shot from the right circle that Kinkaid should have stopped. Yakovlev got his second career goal after being set up by Johansson between the circles less than a minute after Kreider scored.

The winner came after the Rangers controlled play in the Devils' zone for more than a minute and got the puck to Zibanejad for his 20th goal of the season.

There were four goals in the first two periods, all in the power play. The Devils got the first two from Hischier and Johansson in the opening 16:18, while Zibanejad scored both for New York.

Zibanejad got his first on a deflection with two seconds left in the first period. It came five seconds after Johansson was penalized for interference. His 19th goal came with 3:24 left in the second period when he one-timed a Zuccarello pass into the top corner of the net.

Hischier gave New Jersey the lead with a shot from the left circle 5:10 after the opening faceoff. Johansson made a head-first dive to poke a loose puck into an open net after Brian Boyle shot hit off the post.

NOTES: Devils placed D Sami Vatanen on injured reserve with a concussion sustained Monday against Pittsburgh. D Eric Gryba was recalled from Binghamton (AHL) but did not play. ... Rangers F Brett Howden is going to be out 3-4 weeks with a sprained knee. He was hurt Tuesday against Philadelphia. ... NHL MVP Taylor Hall missed his 15th straight game for the Devils with a lower body injury. He resumed skating on Sunday. ... Yakovlev spent more than 30 seconds on his knees in front of Kinkaid after his skate blade broke late in the first period. ... Lundqvist played in his 841st game for the Rangers, tying him with Vic Hatfield for seventh in franchise history.

UP NEXT

Rangers: At Tampa Bay on Saturday night.

Devils: At Montreal on Saturday.

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