Kreider would add insurance with 2:49 left in the game when he came in on a 2-on-1 with Mats Zuccarello and fired a shot that hit the post. But puck luck was on Kreider's side as the rebound caromed off Leighton and into the net to make it 4-2.
"He's a guy that's a big part of our team," said Stepan, who finished with a goal and two assists in the win. "When Chris is moving his feet and shooting pucks, he's really hard to defend. I don't know if you watch him release that puck. It's a tough save for anybody. We've got to get him to keep shooting."
The Rangers opened the scoring 4:05 into the game when Stepan buried a backhanded rebound from just outside the crease. The play was reviewed but was ultimately deemed a good goal.
The lead would hold until midway through the second period when former Ranger Viktor Stalberg scored his third goal in the last two games against his former team. Stalberg came down on an odd-man rush and fired a wrist shot that Henrik Lundqvist got a piece of with his glove before hitting the post and into the net.
Michael Grabner scored his 13th of the season at 5:54 of the third period to put the Rangers back in front. Brady Skjei fed Grabner breaking down the slot, and Grabner fired a wrist shot through Leighton for the 2-1 lead. Like the Rangers' first goal, it too was reviewed - this time for offside - but the replay proved inconclusive.
The lead was short-lived, as Carolina answered just 32 seconds later when Victor Rask's slap shot beat Lundqvist to tie the game, 2-2.
The Rangers came out firing in the third period with the game's first nine shots on goal in the period, including Kreider's first. In total, New York had 12 shots in the final 20 minutes, one more than the first two periods combined.
"I felt like we played our best in the last 20 (minutes)," said Lundqvist, who finished with 26 saves and has now beaten Carolina 11 straight games at The Garden. "There was a big difference in our game, more energy, more speed to our game. It felt like they wanted it a little bit more for two periods, but I think in this league a lot of times games are decided in the third. Teams try to stay close and then in the third you try to make that final push to make the difference. We've done that a lot of times this year and it's a strength; I think we have confidence going into the third."
The Stepan line with Kreider and Zuccarello finished the afternoon with three goals and four assists for seven points, all at even strength.
"I think our line found a little chemistry," Stepan said. "You can work extremely hard and accomplish nothing. I think we were working really smart and were able to create some turnovers and obviously capitalize on them."
Head coach Alain Vigneault said he was not pleased with his team's effort between Stepan's first period goal and the start of the third period, but was pleased his team was able to turn a lackluster effort into a win.
"We found a way in the third period when the game was on the line to play our best hockey of the night and get two points," head coach Alain Vigneault said. "We'll take it and get ready for the next game."
