Rangers gain on Penguins in Metropolitan Division

RANGERS MOVE FOUR POINTS AHEAD OF IDLE PENGUINS IN METROPOLITAN DIVISION
Derek Stepan (1-2-3), Mats Zuccarello (1-1-2) and Keith Yandle (0-2-2) all had multiple points to help the New York Rangers improve to 3-1-1 in their past five games.
* At 42-24-8 (92 points), the Rangers increased their lead to four points over the idle Pittsburgh Penguins (40-24-8, 88 points) for second place in the Metropolitan Division.

* Stepan (17-25-42) had his first three-point game of the season. He has reached the 40-point mark in all six of his NHL seasons (all w/ the Rangers).
* Henrik Lundqvist (39 saves) was credited with his third assist of the season and the 20th of his NHL career. Per the Elias Sports Bureau, his 20 assists rank second among active goaltenders, behind only Kari Lehtonen (27).

ISLANDERS REMAIN HOT AT HOME
The New York Islanders scored three times in the second period to defeat the Ottawa Senators and end a four-game losing streak (0-3-1). The Islanders are 7-1-1 in their past nine games at Barclays Center.
* At 39-24-9 (87 points), the Islanders climbed within a point of the idle Penguins (40-24-8, 88 points) for third place in the Metropolitan Division.
* ICYMI: J-F Berube (22 saves) made a pair of highlight-reel saves in the first period, denying a redirection in front of the net and then diving to make a sprawling stop on Senators forward Mark Stone (1-0-1).

MILESTONES & BENCHMARKS
* Senators forward Bobby Ryan skated in the 600th game of his NHL career.
* Rangers defenseman Dan Girardi skated in the 719th game of his NHL career (all w/ the Rangers) and tied Andy Bathgate for 10th on the franchise's all-time games-played list.
LOOSE PUCKS
Rangers forward Derick Brassard scored his fifth game-winning goal of the season, eclipsing his single-season career high of four from 2013-14. He leads the club with 26 goals. ... Senators captain Erik Karlsson had his League-leading 62nd assist. ... Rangers forward J.T. Miller (20-20-40) scored to reach the 20-goal mark for the first time in his NHL career. ... Bruins forward Brad Marchand (34-21-55) had an assist to match his single-season career high in points; he had 28-27-55 in 2011-12. ... Islanders forward Shane Prince had an assist in his first game against his former club. ... Blue Jackets forward Jared Boll will have a hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety on Thursday for an incident with Flyers forward Pierre-Edouard Bellemare during a game Tuesday at Nationwide Arena. ... ICYMI: GoPro released the latest video in its NHL After Dark series, featuring New Jersey Devils goaltender Cory Schneider.