Rangers Top Bruins in Boston

The Rangers saved their best for the end Thursday by scoring two goals in the third period to edge the Bruins 2-1 at TD Garden in Boston.
Pavel Buchnevich and Oscar Lindberg both scored in the final period to snap a scoreless tie and with it, end the Rangers' modest two-game losing streak.

Henrik Lundqvist turned in one of the best performances of his season Thursday for the Blueshirts and quite literally kept New York in the game with numerous game-saving stops over the first two periods, including a pad save on David Pastrnak early in a first period that saw the Rangers outshot 9-3.

"You just have to battle," Lundqvist said. "It was definitely a challenging game, a challenging start, but it felt good to sit in here a tie game after the first. We regrouped. I knew the game was going to change, but I don't think we were ready to play the first period. It could have hurt us but we found a way to not get hurt and then we got our legs going and our minds going."
The game began to sway in the Rangers' favor despite being outshot 11-8 in the middle frame before New York took over at the start of the third period.

Buchnevich, who was recalled from Hartford (AHL) on an emergency basis earlier today, broke the scoreless tie 5:10 into the third when he riffled a slap shot from the circle that beat Tuukka Rask top shelf for his seventh goal of the season.
"We were told he was Hartford's best player last night," coach Alain Vigneault said after the game. "He came in tonight and I thought he played a strong game. That was a great shot on his goal that gave us the 1-0 lead … I'm happy with how he bounced back tonight."
If Buchnevich's goal was dazzling for its brute force, then Lindberg's was for its finesse. The center received a pass from Matt Puempel at center ice and carried the puck into Boston territory and stickhandled through two Bruins defenders. He went backhand to forehand and top corner to extend the lead to 2-0 at 9:35 of the third.

"I got a good play from Puempel in the neutral zone and saw that I had a little space," Lindberg said. "I just tried to get past the first D and I got a little lucky. I had the puck with me and I tried to get a quick shot between the stick."
The goal was Lindberg's third in his last six games as he continues to resemble the player he was early last season when he scored four goals in the first three games of the season.
"I think it's pretty good," Lindberg said of his confidence level. "The last couple games I've been playing better hockey and by doing that the confidence comes with that. It felt good so I just tried that move."
Brad Marchand scored Boston's lone goal at 12:56 of the third.
Lundqvist finished the night with 32 saves for his 29th win of the season, and 403rd of his career, to tie Grant Fuhr for 10th all-time in the NHL.
Lundqvist, who celebrated his 35th birthday, said when he asked by his wife what he wanted, he said nothing, before changing his mind.
"My wife asked me the other 'what do you want for your birthday?'" Lundqvist said with a smile. "I was like 'I don't know. Nothing.' But then today I was like I want to win. That's all. I wanted to come here and play my best and help the team to get a win."