Maple Leafs 1
(18-16-5, 41 pts)
7:00 PM ET, December 23, 2013
Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
C. Talbot (Rangers - G): Saves: 25, Save Pct.: .962J. Bernier (Maple Leafs - G): Saves: 42, Save Pct.: .977D. Stepan (Rangers - C): Goals: 0, Assists: 0
Rangers Nip Leafs In Shootout
Mats Zuccarello and Derek Stepan scored shootout goals, and backup goalie Cam Talbot earned his second win in two nights as the Rangers shook off a late tying tally and beat the Maple Leafs 2-1 on Monday night.
The game was forced into overtime because of Nazem Kadri's goal with 1:24 left in regulation -- one the Rangers thought shouldn't have counted.
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The NHL reviewed it in Toronto and said the goal should stand.
"In my opinion, that was the wrong call," Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said. "The referee told Brad (Richards) on the ice that if they didn't score on the wraparound, then it wasn't a goal. They didn't score on the wraparound.
"The puck was underneath Cam's pad. How (the reviewers) saw it differently, I'm not quite sure. You've just got to play through those things, and that's what we did."
The Rangers held off the Maple Leafs in a spirited overtime that produced several scoring chances and then outlasted them in the shootout.
Zuccarello and Stepan scored in the first two rounds, and Talbot stopped Kadri in the third to end it. Joffrey Lupul was the only Toronto player to score in the tiebreaker.
Talbot was relieved the Rangers pulled out the victory.
"I would have been pretty devastated, especially with the game we played," he said. "We deserved to win the game, and to get a goal like that against us could have really hurt us, but we kind of let it go, pushed forward and got the eventual game winner."
Jonathan Bernier was exceptional for Toronto, making 42 saves through overtime and allowing only J.T. Miller's goal 7:04 into the third period. The Maple Leafs played their third straight shootout and lost for the second consecutive time. They are 2-5-2 in their past nine.
"We played a very solid road game," Toronto captain Dion Phaneuf said. "It was very good to get a point."
Talbot, starting over slumping No. 1 netminder Henrik Lundqvist for the second straight game, bounced back from the late goal and improved to 8-2 in his first NHL season. He made 24 saves Sunday in a 4-1 win over Minnesota and helped New York finish its team-record, nine-game homestand 3-4-2.
He nearly earned his third shutout in 12 career NHL games, all this season.
The Rangers next play Friday at Washington. Who will start in goal then for New York remains to be seen.
"It is safe to say that we're leaving for the holidays on a much happier note," Vigneault said. "It's going to be a pleasant three days.
"My parents are 81 and 79. I haven't been home for Christmas with my girls for eight years, so I am looking forward to that."
Miller, recalled from Hartford (AHL) on Thursday, scored his second of the season when he came off the bench, streaked down the slot and took a crisp pass from Chris Kreider from behind the net.
Toronto nearly grabbed the lead just more than four minutes into the third when Nikolai Kulemin was stopped in front and then had another drive hit the right post, slide along the goal line and stay out. The no-goal call was confirmed by video review.
Bernier kept the Maple Leafs in it, especially during the second period when the Rangers had a 22-5 edge in shots. New York was dominant again in the middle frame one night after a 17-5 advantage against Minnesota when the Rangers scored twice.
"I don't think we played our best game, but we hung in there," Bernier said. "We stole a point probably."
Bernier got the starting nod from coach Randy Carlyle two nights after he replaced James Reimer, who was pulled against Detroit after giving up three goals on 12 shots in the first period. Bernier made 25 saves in relief, but Toronto was beaten in a shootout.
"Our goaltender stood on his head. That's all you can ask in a game like this one," Carlyle said.
Game notes
Talbot made back-to-back starts two other times this season but not on consecutive days. ... Rangers D Marc Staal took a hard skate Monday morning, while recovering from a concussion, and could be nearing a return. Staal missed his eighth game since he was struck in the head by the arm of New Jersey's Reid Boucher on Dec. 7. ... Reimer had started three straight games for the first time this season before Monday.
Copyright by STATS LLC and The Associated Press
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