Stan Fischler US Hall Of Fame MSG Igor Shesterkin entered tonight’s contest with two consecutive shutouts. The run ended in the second period after 152:41, however in the third period the floodgates opened, as the New York Rangers allowed four straight goals to fall 6-3 to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjA1MDI2MjQwMzIxNTYyMzY0/usatsi_22777203.jpg] The Rangers scored first goal for the seventh straight game. Artemi Panarin put New York on the board with 6:02 to go in the first period. All credit goes to Vincent Trocheck as he received a breakout pass from Alexis Lafreniere, before making a beautiful toe drag move on a 2-on-1 to feed Panarin. All he had to do was fire it into the back of the yawning empty net. Braden Schneider extended the Ranger lead to 2-0 with 3:03 left in the first. Assists were registered by Mika Zibanejad, who would leave the game after being hit in the face, and Jack Roslovic, his first point as a Blueshirt. Zibanejad returned for the third with a full visor. After one period, the Rangers were up 2-0 with a lead in shots of 11-5 over the Lightning as well. The Lightning then got on the board with 7:19 remaining in the second, cutting the deficit to one, 2-1. Brayden Point stripped the puck from Jonny Brodzinski, before executing a perfect give-and-go with Nikita Kucherov, roofing the puck past Shesterkin, who saw his shutout streak end. Former Ranger, Anthony Duclair scored for the Lightning with just 1:17 left in the period, to tie the game at two, giving Duclair two goals with Tampa Bay since being acquired at the deadline. Point and Kucherov were awarded assists. The second period ended tied 2-2. Tampa Bay controlled the shots in the second period, with 10 compared to New York’s six. In the third, the Rangers took a 3-2 lead as Jack Roslovic scored his first goal as a Ranger. Roslovic finished a beautiful cross-ice pass made by Adam Fox. It was Roslovic’s seventh goal of the season, while Fox now has 42 helpers. Less than two minutes later, with the teams playing at four-on-four, Point scored his second of the game (35th of the season), dancing around Rangers defenceman, Erik Gustafsson before tucking it past Shesterkin. Later, Ryan Lindgren blocked a shot and left the ice, leaving the Blueshirts with five defensemen, however he later returned as well. With 7:52 left, Will Cuylle slashed Kucherov giving the Bolts with the extra man, and Tampa took advantage. Steven Stamkos scored his 13th power play goal and 25th goal of the season giving the Lightning a 4-3 lead with 7:15 left. Point registered another assist. Point wasn't done, giving Tampa a massive 5-3 insurance goal with 5:12 left, giving the sharpshooter a hat trick, and Kucherov another assist. With 3:36 remaining and down two goals, the Rangers pulled Shesterkin, however it only took seconds for Kucherov to score the empty net goal, giving him a goal and five points for the night. While the Rangers started strong, the Lightning defeated the Rangers 6-3, scoring four straight third period goals, stunning the Blueshirts. The Rangers play in Pittsburgh at 3 PM on Saturday before returning home to Madison Square Garden to host the Islanders on Sunday.
