J.T. Miller scored a power-play goal with 2:04 remaining in overtime as the New York Rangers erased a three-goal deficit and earned a 5-4 victory over the visiting Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night.
After Jake Evans was sent off for slashing Artemi Panarin, the Rangers used their timeout. Following the stoppage, New York snapped a three-game losing streak and improved to 4-8-3 at home.
Vincent Trocheck won an offensive zone faceoff from Nick Suzuki and quickly moved the puck to Mika Zibanejad. Zibanejad made a quick pass to Miller in the left faceoff circle and the New York captain whipped a slap shot by Montreal defenseman Mike Matheson and over rookie goalie Jacob Fowler.
Noah Laba and Panarin scored 11 seconds apart in the first period after the Rangers allowed three goals in 3:37. Will Cuylle and Miller scored 36 seconds apart after the Rangers fell behind 4-2 early in the second.
Zachary Bolduc and Arber Xhekaj scored 89 seconds apart before Evans completed the three-goal flurry. Josh Anderson scored Montreal’s fourth goal 3:17 into the second.
New York goalie Igor Shesterkin made 12 saves.
Fowler stopped 21 shots in his second NHL start as the Canadiens were unable to win a third straight contest and fell to 6-1-3 in their past 10 road games.
Montreal opened the scoring when Bolduc cut to the net and got in front of Shesterkin for a re-direction of Suzuki’s cross-ice feed from the left wing with 7:19 remaining.
The Canadiens scored on their next shot with 5:50 left when Xhekaj used a screen by Anderson and put a shot from the right point past Shesterkin.
Evans was left open in the right circle and made it 3-0 with a shot by Shesterkin with 3:42 left and the Rangers answered back when Laba slipped a shot past Fowler from the left side of the crease with 1:11 left and Panarin lifted the puck by Fowler’s stick after being hooked from behind by Noah Dobson on a breakaway.
After Anderson blasted a one-timer from the slot for a 4-2 lead, Cuylle’s pass from the red line banked off Fowler and Miller tied it by getting to the net and backhanding the rebound of Matthew Robertson’s shot by Fowler.
–Field Level Media
