Rangers top Lightning in Henrik Lundqvist's return to net

Final

Series (Game 2 of 3)

Rangers 4

(19-19-2, 40 pts)

Lightning 3

(23-12-4, 50 pts)

7:00 PM ET, December 29, 2013
Tampa Bay Times Forum, Tampa, Florida

	1	2	3	T
NYR	2	2	0	4
TB	2	0	1	3

M. Zuccarello (Rangers - RW): Goals: 1, Assists: 2
R. McDonagh (Rangers - D): Goals: 0, Assists: 2
T. Purcell (Lightning - RW): Goals: 0, Assists: 2

Associated Press

Rangers Convert On Power Plays, Top Lightning

The Rangers scored three power-play goals to defeat the Lightning 4-3.Tags: NHL, Rangers, Lightning, highlight, Mats Zuccarello, Chris Kreider, Ondrej Palat

TAMPA, Fla. -- Henrik Lundqvist made 37 saves in his first start in four games, and Mats Zuccarello had a goal and two assists in the New York Rangers' 4-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday night.
Lundqvist watched from the bench as backup Cam Talbot started the previous three games, winning two, after Lundqvist struggled through a 1-4-2 stretch.
Rick Nash, Chris Kreider and Benoit Pouliot also scored for the Rangers, who had three power-play goals. Ryan McDonagh and Derick Brassard had two assists each.

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Tampa Bay got goals from Tyler Johnson, Ondrej Palat and Valtteri Filppula.
The Rangers went up 4-2 on second-period power-play goals by Kreider and Pouliot.
Kreider beat Anders Lindback with a backhander at 4:35, and Pouliot extended his point streak to seven games with an in-close redirection 3:16 later.
Tampa Bay pulled within 4-3 on Filppula's tip-in 8:14 into the third. It was one of 16 shots the Lightning had on Lundqvist during the period.
After Johnson tied it with a power-play goal at 10:41 of the first, Palat scored a rebound goal from the left circle to make it 2-1 with 3:55 left in the period.
Nash snapped his seven-game goal drought to put the Rangers up 1-0 just 4:30 into the game. Derek Stepan set up the goal after stealing a pass by Lightning defenseman Radko Gudas.
Zuccarello got the Rangers even at 2 during a power play when his pass into the low slot deflected off Gudas into the net at 18:25. The center assisted on goals by Kreider and Pouliot.

Game notes

Lightning star Steven Stamkos, out since breaking his right leg on Nov. 11, did a series of agility drills during a 30 minute on-ice workout. The center, who hopes to return in February, resumed skating 2 1/2 weeks ago. ... Rangers RW Ryan Callahan (sprained knee) had a limited workout, wearing a no-contact jersey, during the team's morning skate. ... Tampa Bay D Eric Brewer (upper body), Sami Salo (upper body) and LW Ryan Malone (broken ankle) could return during a four-game trip that starts Wednesday at Vancouver. ... New York D Marc Staal (concussion) and D Anton Stralman (undisclosed) practiced.

Copyright by STATS LLC and The Associated Press