Kreider, Rangers top Bruins, take over top spot in NHL standings

NEW YORK -- Chris Kreider had two goals and an assist for the New York Rangers in a 7-4 win against the Boston Bruins at Madison Square Garden on Saturday.

Artemi Panarin had a goal and two assists, and Jimmy Vesey had a goal and an assist for New York (15-3-1), which has won three in a row. Jonathan Quick made 27 saves, and Nick Bonino and Tyler Pitlick each scored his first goal with the Rangers, who overtook the Bruins atop the NHL standings.

"That was something," Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said. "That was back and forth and a lot of emotion, probably from both teams, invested into that game, and a really, really strong effort for us to stay with it and push through that and forge through at the end against a really good hockey team."

Charlie Coyle scored twice, and Morgan Geekie had a goal and an assist for Boston (14-3-3), which lost its second straight for the first time this season, following a 5-2 loss against the Detroit Red Wings on Friday. Linus Ullmark allowed seven goals on 40 shots.

"Not willing to forecheck, not willing to work for offense, and then the breakdowns defensively," Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said. "We're not giving our goaltenders an opportunity -- like we were before -- of stopping the strong-side shot. They got to worry about the weak side, they got to worry about the back post. There's a lot of things that, unfortunately, our habits and details have kind of eroded on us defensively here."

Bonino gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead at 5:58 of the first period, and Kreider made it 2-0 at 10:56 on the power play. Erik Gustafsson's point shot slipped through Ullmark's five-hole, and Kreider poked in the puck.

The Bruins did not have a shot on goal until 12:35 of the first period, but Coyle cut the deficit to 2-1 at 13:50. Trent Frederic's initial shot was blocked by Gustafsson, but Frederic recovered the puck behind the net and found Coyle up front. Geekie tied it 2-2 24 seconds later at 14:14 from the high slot.

"There's always little challenges within the seasons, and this is one of those," Coyle said. "You can't play a perfect season, by any means, and there's always ups and downs. The great teams find a way to right the ship quicker than others, and we have the team to do that."

Kreider gave the Rangers a 3-2 lead at 18:45, getting behind Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy and scoring on a short-handed breakaway.

"I thought the crowd today was a big difference-maker for us," Rangers captain Jacob Trouba said. "Especially when [we] gave up that early lead, the crowd kind of gets reenergized, and it picks us up."

David Pastrnak tied it 3-3 26 seconds into the second period, going five-hole on Quick on the power play.

Vesey gave the Rangers a 4-3 lead at 16:37 of the second on a delayed penalty, chipping in the rebound of Vincent Trocheck's snap shot from the left circle.

"I knew there was a penalty coming, so I thought why not hang out around the front of the net?" Vesey said. "[Panarin] and [Trocheck] were doing their thing on the flanks, and I think [Zac Jones] made a few great plays to keep the possession. I just chipped in the rebound."

K'Andre Miller made it 5-3 at 19:36, one-timing Mika Zibanejad's drop pass.

Pitlick made it 6-3 at 1:26 of the third period with a one-timer in front of the net.

"We were forcing a little bit too much, compared to when we were really rolling," Bruins captain Brad Marchand said. "A little bit too much at the blue lines and into the slots instead of holding on to it and making strong plays down low. And then not being tight enough defensively."

Coyle cut it to 6-4 at 2:29 on a give-and-go with James van Riemsdyk.

Panarin scored on a cross-ice feed from Braden Schneider at 4:38 for the 7-4 final.

"We knew where they were in the standings," Miller said. "It was obviously kind of in the back of our head going into this game, but once that puck dropped, I don't think we talked about it too much. I think we got out to our game right away, and the first period kind of set the pace for how we wanted to play for the rest of the game."

NOTES: The Bruins lost in consecutive days in regulation for the first time since Oct. 27-28, 2021. … Panarin had his 193rd multipoint game. Among players to debut after 1993-94, the only other undrafted skater to have as many multipoint games is Martin St. Louis (275). … Quick, 37, extended his point streak to seven games (6-0-1), which trails only Jaroslav Halak (eight games in 2022-23) for the second-longest run by a Rangers goalie at age 37 or older.