Panarin, Rangers rally past Capitals, earn split

NEW YORK --Artemi Panarin had a goal and two assists in the third period, and the New York Rangers rallied to defeat the Washington Capitals 5-2 at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.

The Rangers, who trailed by two early in the first period, scored four goals in the third for the second time in three days against the Capitals; New York lost 5-4 at Capital One Arena on Sunday to open the two-game set.
Washington had its three-game winning streak end.
"It's certainly nice to draw from that experience where we know we can be a good third-period team and score goals," Rangers coach David Quinn said. "Anytime you can turn the clock back and draw from experience, especially something that happened so recently, it gives you more confidence to do it. I think our guys had that in the back of their minds."
Kaapo Kakko tied it 2-2 at 4:10, and Adam Fox gave New York a 3-2 lead at 6:32, extending his point streak to eight games (two goals, 13 assists). Panarin, who had an assist on each of those goals, made it 4-2 on a breakaway at 15:41. Pavel Buchnevich scored a shorthanded empty-net goal with 35 seconds left for the 5-2 final.
Filip Chytil scored, and Igor Shesterkin made 30 saves to help the Rangers (16-15-4) win for the first time in 11 games this season when trailing going into the third period.
"So big," Kakko said. "Washington is a good team and we need some points right now, so big win for us."

T.J. Oshie and Nic Dowd scored for Washington in the first 4:22 of the first period, and Vitek Vanecek made 22 saves. The Capitals (23-8-4) lost for the second time in 12 games since March 7.
"Their goals were [a result of] big mistakes," Washington coach Peter Laviolette said. "There is always mistakes out on the ice, but when they lead to breakaways or guys point-blank in front of the net, those are the tough ones. I don't think we've been guilty of a lot of those big mistakes lately, but tonight it caught us. It was a difference in the game."
Oshie's power-play goal gave Washington a 1-0 lead at 2:23. Dowd scored on a rebound in traffic around the crease to make it 2-0.
The Rangers got their first shot on goal at 8:33. Chytil scored 7:03 later on a breakaway after stealing the puck from Capitals defenseman Dmitry Orlov to cut it to 2-1 at 15:36.
"Fil's goal really helped," Panarin said. "He did a good job. And then it allowed us to wake up."
Shesterkin made 10 saves in the second period, including five with the Capitals on a power play that started at 12:44.
"He is giving us confidence to play and come back from these types of situations," Panarin said.

Kakko tied it on the rush when he finished a play that started with Panarin intercepting Zdeno Chara's pass at the defensive blue line. Panarin carried the puck into the zone and passed to Ryan Strome on the right before Strome fed Kakko near the left post for a redirection.
Chara said the Capitals got away from their game in the third period and, coupled with the Rangers' aggressiveness, it led to the mistakes Laviolette mentioned.
"We've got to be able to play the same way for 60 minutes," Chara said.

Fox scored with a high backhand from below the right hash marks to put New York in front 2:22 after Kakko tied it. Panarin kept the puck in the zone at the blue line and fed Fox, who was cutting down the right side.
Panarin extended the lead when he got behind Capitals defensemen John Carlson and Brenden Dillon and took a stretch pass from Brendan Smith to go in alone on Vanecek.
"They cruise guys to the far blue line," Laviolette said. "We knew that, and he got behind the coverage. We were pressing offensively trying to make something happen, but at the same sense you've got to be alert of the players that are on the ice, and he slipped behind us."
NOTES: The Capitals lost for the second time in 20 games this season when leading going into the third period. … Washington center Lars Eller was minus-1 with one shot in 10:05 of ice time in his first game after missing seven with a lower-body injury. … Fox scored 20 points (three goals, 17 assists) in March to become the third Rangers defenseman to score that many in a calendar month. Brian Leetch did it five times and Brad Park did it once. … Rangers center Ryan Strome had an assist to extend his point streak to 10 games (two goals, 13 assists). He became the first New York player with an assist in nine straight games since Leetch in 1995-96.