Zibanejad scores with 16 seconds left, lifts Rangers past Lightning

TAMPA -- Mika Zibanejad scored a power-play goal with 16 seconds left in the third period and the New York Rangers defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 at Amalie Arena on Saturday.

Jacob Trouba also scored for New York (39-18-5), which swept the three-game season series against the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions. Igor Shesterkin made 28 saves.
"That's three in a row that we've played the way we want to play," Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said. "I think we're finding our game and everyone's enjoying it. That was another battle tonight, a low-scoring playoff-type of game. The power play was a little off tonight until it gets the winning goal at the end."
Brayden Point scored for Tampa Bay (39-16-6), which is 5-5-0 in its past 10 games. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 25 saves.
"We play tonight's game, and we take six minors, we put a skilled team like that on the power play for 11 minutes while our guys sit on the bench," Lightning coach Jon Cooper. "Right now you wonder what's going on with our team and why we literally shoot ourselves in the foot and that's a big reason. You can't do it, you can't do it in this League."

With the Rangers at the end of their power play, Artemi Panarin made a cross-ice pass to Zibanejad, who fired a one-timer past Vasilevskiy to make it 2-1.
"We stole one, I don't think we played good enough for long enough today," Zibanejad said. "And Igor ... if it's not for him I don't want to imagine what would happen. But at the end of the day we got the two points and we're moving on. A good lesson, it's a lot easier to learn those lessons when you win."
Point gave the Lightning a 1-0 lead at 16:41 of the first period. With Tampa Bay on the power play, Victor Hedman sent a one-timer on goal and Point scored off the rebound.
"It's tough, really late in the game like that and the PK played some well," Point said. "It stinks because I thought we played a pretty decent game for the most part, especially with our start. But it's very taxing on our penalty killers to be playing that much and killing that much, our goaltender as well. Tonight it bit us."
Trouba tied it 1-1 at 9:25 of the second period when he followed up on a shot from Alexis Lafreniere and pushed the puck past Vasilevskiy through the five-hole.
"Nice to kill those [penalties] off and get a goal, it definitely got us rolling a little bit," Trouba said. "It was a tight game, so it was good to get a little bit of momentum."
Lightning forward Brandon Hagel made his debut after being acquired in a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday. He had one shot on goal in 10:40 of ice time.
"Leaving everyone back in Chicago was tough and then getting here today and having to [adjust] my mind to a hockey game," Hagel said. "Meeting everyone, it's obviously a little overwhelming just like anyone going into a new job at a new place with new guys. But they were unbelievable, and they welcomed me with open arms. I'm really excited to be here."

Cooper said he was pleased with Hagel's game and expects to use him in several different roles.
"I loved him, he was great," Cooper said. "It was a tough game for him to play in because of all the penalties. He's probably going to find his way on the penalty kill at some point here."
NOTES: Shesterkin won his 30th game in his 41st appearance, besting the previous Rangers record by Henrik Lundqvist, who did it in 46 appearances in 2014-2015. ... Lightning captain Steven Stamkos was held without a goal for the seventh consecutive game. ... Rangers forward Chris Kreider did not have a shot on goal despite 7:58 of power-play time. ... Rangers defenseman Adam Fox had an assist on Zibanejad's goal, his 53rd of the season. … Zibanejad's goal was the Rangers' third go-ahead goal in the final minute of regulation, the most in the NHL this season. … The Rangers had their 21st comeback win of the season, tied with the Columbus Blue Jackets for most in the NHL this season and one from their record (22 in 2010-11 and 1991-92).