The Rangers allowed four unanswered goals between the second and third periods as they lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-3 on Monday at Amalie Arena. >> Box score

First period:

• 12:19 NYR Kevin Hayes; Assists: Ryan Strome, Vladislav Namestnikov
• 14:09 TB Steven Stamkos (power play); Assists: Victor Hedman, J.T. Miller
• 15:07 NYR Kevin Hayes; Assist: Jimmy Vesey

Second period:

• 6:19 TB Steven Stamkos (power play); Assists: Victor Hedman, Brayden Point
• 12:42 TB Ryan McDonagh; Assists: Brayden Point, Nikita Kucherov

The explosive Tampa Bay Lighting offense hosts a New York Rangers team on Monday that struggles to keep the puck out of the net while away from home.

Coming off a 7-1 dismantling of the Colorado Avalanche for a sixth consecutive victory, the Lightning lead the league with 122 goals scored, 13 more than anybody else. Tampa Bay has scored five or more goals in a game 12 times through 31 games.

The Rangers couldn't hang on to their third-period lead, but they came away victorious in a shootout over the Panthers, 5-4, on the road. >> Box score

First period:

• 3:37 NYR Mika Zibanejad; Assists: Jimmy Vesey, Kevin Hayes
• 18:10 NYR Vladislav Namestnikov (Short-Handed); Assists: Kevin Hayes, Fredrik Claesson

SUNRISE, Fla. -- The Florida Panthers and the New York Rangers are seemingly going in opposite directions ... yet they are in virtually the same spot.

The Rangers, who decided this past February to trade assets and start a rebuilding process in 2018-2019 with a first-year NHL head coach in David Quinn and a bunch of young players, are 13-11-1 (29 points).

Meanwhile, the Panthers, who fell just one point short of the playoffs last season and decided to go for it this time around by acquiring high-scoring winger Mike Hoffman, are just 11-11-5 (27 points).

The Rangers could be getting back some major help sooner than they think. 

Pavel Buchnevich, out since Nov. 10 with a broken thumb, was a full participant in Tuesday's practice in an encouraging sign that he could be nearing his return. 

Head coach David Quinn sounded hopeful that the 23-year-old winger, who was projected to be out 4-6 weeks, could return in time for Saturday's game against the Florida Panthers -- which would be exactly four weeks since his injury.  

The Rangers blew a three-goal third-period lead and lost to the Winnipeg Jets in a shootout 4-3 on Sunday at Madison Square Garden. >> Box score

First period:

• 17:32 NYR Jesper Fast; Assists: Mika Zibanejad, Marc Staal

Second period:

• 12:11 NYR Marc Staal; Assists: Ryan Strome, Lias Andersson
• 18:54 NYR Chris Kreider; Assists: Mika Zibanejad, Neal Pionk

NEW YORK -- The Winnipeg Jets will be the road team on Sunday night, but they'll be better-rested than the New York Rangers. And probably in a better mood, too.

The Jets will look to lock up a winning record on their Eastern Conference road trip Sunday night when they visit the Rangers at Madison Square Garden.

Both teams will be playing the second game of a back-to-back set. The Jets squandered a two-goal lead in the final five minutes of regulation before Mark Scheifele scored his second goal of the night 16.3 seconds left in overtime to lift Winnipeg past the host New Jersey Devils 4-3. The visiting Rangers traveled home immediately after falling to the Montreal Canadiens 5-2.

MONTREAL (AP) Shea Weber and Artturi Lehkonen each scored twice and the Montreal Canadiens snapped a five-game losing streak with a 5-2 victory over the New York Rangers on Saturday night.

Tomas Tatar also scored for the Canadiens, who won for the first time at home since Nov. 10. Carey Price stopped 20 shots.

Jimmy Vesey and Ryan Strome scored for the Rangers, losers in four of their last five games. Backup goalie Alexandar Georgiev made 37 saves on 42 shots. Mika Zibanejad had two assists.

The New York Rangers will try and find a way to win on the road when they visit the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday at Bell Centre.

The Rangers are road worriers this season with a 3-7-2 record away from home, contrasted with a 10-4-0 record at home at Madison Square Garden.

The Rangers will have veteran defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk on board against the Canadiens after he and Rangers rookie coach David Quinn addressed the issue that led to Shattenkirk's benching in the third period during a 3-0 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Thursday.

The Rangers announced on Friday that they have recalled forward Vinni Lettieri from the team's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack.

Although the 23-year-old has already skated with the Blueshirts in 14 games this season, there was an opportunity for more ice time for him with the squad in Hartford. The young, Minnesota-bred centerman has made the most of his time there -- tallying five points (three goals, two assists) in four games since being assigned on Nov. 18.

He has recorded 42 points (26 goals, 16 assists) in 68 career AHL games over the last three seasons. Lettieri has suited up in 33 career NHL games for the Blueshirts over parts of the last two season.

The Rangers couldn't get anything going against the Senators Thursday as Ottawa goalie Craig Anderson got the shutout, 3-0. >> Box score

First period:

• 2:06 OTT Drake Batherson; Assists: Matt Duchene, Maxime Lajoie
• 14:35 OTT Magnus Paajarvi; Assists: Zack Smith, Tom Pyatt

Second period:

This was going to be a story about how the New York Rangers were in a rebuild. It was going to be a story about how winning was not going to solve the team's long-term goals.

Well, a funny thing happened along the way: the guys on the ice continue to play well despite some glaring shortcomings. Perhaps the Rangers are following the path of the New York Yankees, who rebuilt quickly over one trade deadline.

The Rangers continued their strong start Monday evening with a 4-2 win over the Ottawa Senators in front of the MSG faithful. As we are now past the quarter point of the season, the Blueshirts hold a playoff spot with a 13-10-2 record. There are still over 50 games left in the season, but teams in a playoff spot by Thanksgiving have over a 60 percent chance of making the playoffs.

Brady Tkachuk is making up for lost time.

In the process, the Ottawa Senators rookie is also working himself into the early season Calder Trophy conversation.

Tkachuk, who on Nov. 8 returned from a leg injury that sidelined him for 11 games, scored twice to propel the Senators to a 4-3 comeback win on Tuesday in Philadelphia that stopped the team's losing streak at four games. He also had an assist to give him five points in two games and 16 in 14 games this season.

Rangers forward Mats Zuccarello and Vlad Namestnikov will not join the club on its two-game Canadian road trip, the team announced Wednesday.

Zuccarello has missed eight of the past 10 games since suffering a groin injury on Nov. 6, while Namestnikov has been placed in concussion protocol, the team said.

Namestnikov took a high, hard hit from Thomas Chabot late in Monday's 4-2 win over the Senators. He struggled to return to his feet after the collision, and did not participate in Wednesday's practice. 

He may not be centering the top line, but Mika Zibanejad has no issue with his current spot on the Rangers' depth chart.

After scoring the empty-netter to seal Monday's 4-2 win over the Senators, the 25-year-old said he's more than happy matching up against opponents' top units with linemates Vlad Namestnikov and Jesper Fast.

"It makes me proud to know that the coaching staff has that kind of trust in me and our line," Zibanejad told Larry Brooks of the New York Post. "It's a pride thing for us."

The Rangers scored three goals in the third period en route to a 4-2 win over the Ottawa Senators on Monday at Madison Square Garden. >> Box score

First period:

• 10:55 NYR Marc Staal; Assists: Mika Zibanejad, Jesper Fast
• 13:03 OTT Mark Stone; Assists: Colin White, Brady Tkachuk

For most of this month, the New York Rangers piled up points and emerged as an early surprise of the season.

Then came the last 120 minutes and the Rangers encountered their first impediment to their recent progress with consecutive afternoon losses to the Philadelphia Flyers and Washington Capitals.

The Rangers hope to shake off their first losing streak in a month Monday night when they host the Ottawa Senators, who are the only team to allow 100 goals this season.

Rangers rookie forward Tim Gettinger has been assigned to Hartford of the AHL after making NHL debut on Saturday, general manager Jeff Gorton announced.

Gettinger, who had five hits against Washington on Saturday, has played in 20 AHL games this season, tallying seven goals and four assists.

The 6-foot-6, 220-pounder has ranked first among rookies in the AHL this season in goals and also was tied for second on his team with shots on goal.

The Rangers scored two straight goals to start this game off, but the Capitals came right back to deliver a 5-3 loss at The Garden on Saturday. >> Box score

First period:

• 9:12 NYR Jimmy Vesey; Assists: Jesper Fast, Kevin Hayes

The Rangers announced Friday that they have recalled F Tim Gettinger from Hartford.

Gettinger would be making his NHL debut with the Rangers if he gets ice time against the Capitals on Saturday. The 20-year-old has scored seven goals and four assists for 11 points over 20 games with the Wolf Pack this season. 

A fifth-round pick by New York back in 2016, the 6-foot-6 forward played four seasons in the OHL with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds before joining Hartford this season. 

The Rangers road woes continued on Friday after they failed to capitalize on some chances and let the game get out of hand in the final seven minutes of the third period en route to a 4-0 shutout loss. >> Box score

First period:

• 13:21 PHI Travis Konecy; Assists:Sean Couturier, Claude Giroux

The sizzling New York Rangers steam into Philadelphia to renew their long and often bitter rivalry with the Flyers on Friday.

The Rangers, who are supposed to be in a rebuild, have won three straight and are 9-1-1 in their last 11 games. They have outscored the opposition 11-3 in the three games, beating the New York Islanders 5-0 Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden.

That win ended an eight-game losing streak against the Islanders, pulled the Rangers (12-8-2) into a tie for first place in the Metropolitan Division.

Rangers coach David Quinn may not want to make too many lineup changes when his streaking squad hits the ice Friday afternoon in Philadelphia.

But with Cody McLeod out at least a month after suffering a broken hand Wednesday night, Mats Zuccarello says he's ready to help out after recovering from a groin injury.

Zuccarello has missed six of the last seven games with the injury, admitting that he returned prematurely for the Rangers' Nov. 15 loss to the Islanders.

The Rangers continued their home-cooking, winning their seventh straight game at Madison Square Garden in a 5-0 win over the Islanders. 

Meanwhile, 19-year-old phenom Filip Chytil joins rare company by becoming the seventh teenager since the 2005-6 season to score five goals in five consecutive games. >> Recap

First period:

• 0:29 NYR  Filip Chytil; Assists: Kevin Shattenkirk, Chris Kreider
• 3:30 NYR Cody McLeod; Assists: Tony DeAngelo, Ryan Strome
• 8:04 NYR Neal Pion (Power Play); Assists: Vladeslav Namestnikov, Mika Zibanejad

The Rangers, Islanders and Devils all have some young, talented members on their teams, which begs the question: Who is the best young hockey player in New York?

SNY narrowed down three candidate and a look at some of their stats through the first quarter of the 2018-19 season. 

NEW YORK -- The New York Rangers are shaking things up Wednesday in hopes of snapping a lengthy losing streak against the New York Islanders. If the words spoken Sunday afternoon by coach Barry Trotz were any indication, the Islanders will be shuffling the deck as well.

Backup goalie Alexander Georgiev will make a rare start for the Rangers on Wednesday night when they host the Islanders in a battle of longtime rivals at Madison Square Garden.

Both teams are coming off a game against the visiting Dallas Stars. The Rangers continued their recent hot play Monday with a 2-1 win over the Stars, who began a five-game road trip Sunday by routing the Islanders 6-2.

Filip Chytil stayed hot Monday night when he scored the eventual game-winner against the Stars at the Garden, becoming the first teenager in Rangers history to tally goals in four straight games. 

So perhaps it comes as no surprise that his confidence in the NHL has never been higher.

"I can't say the first 17 games, when I didn't score a goal, that I wasn't confident. I was confident," Chytil said, per the New York Post. 
"But now, it's more and more. I'm happy that we are winning and I can help the team with goals."

The Rangers won their sixth straight home game as they beat the Dallas Stars 2-1 on Monday at Madison Square Garden. >> Box score

First period:

• N/A

Second period:

• 2:17 DAL Tyler Seguin (power play); Assists: Esa Lindell, Jason Spezza
• 9:38 NYR Jimmy Vesey; Assists: Marc Staal, Brett Howden

The New York Rangers are on a roll at home ice while the Dallas Stars are surging on the road.

One of those hot streaks will take a momentary hiatus Monday night when the Stars visit the Rangers.

The Rangers are on a five-game home winning streak since a 4-1 loss to the Calgary Flames on Oct. 21 and are 7-3-0 at Madison Square Garden. During their home winning streak, the Rangers are outscoring opponents by a 19-9 margin and it is the NHL's longest win streak of the season.

The Rangers scored three straight goals en route to a 4-2 win over the Panthers on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden. >> Box score

NEW YORK -- In recent weeks, the New York Rangers and Florida Panthers were playing reasonably well. Then they encountered nightmares in defending Thursday and gave up seven goals on rinks separated by more than 500 miles.

While the Rangers were struggling to prevent the rival New York Islanders from scoring in Brooklyn, the Panthers were experiencing the same problems against the Blue Jackets in Columbus.

Both teams will be hoping to rebound from difficult games Saturday night when the Rangers host the Panthers.

The Rangers should not be counted out of the running to trade for Maple Leafs' William Nylander just yet. 

While the Blueshirts are not frontrunners, they reportedly do have interest in the 22-year-old restricted free agent and would have no issues parting ways with Brady Skjei, according to Larry Brooks of the New York Post. 

Skjei, 24, is the only Ranger under contract through the 2021-22 season but he is off to a slow start this year and is following up on a disappointing 2017-18 campaign. 

The Rangers struck a deal with the Oilers on Friday, acquiring C Ryan Strome in exchange for C Ryan Spooner. 

Strome has spent parts of six seasons between the Islanders and Oilers over his NHL career. A former fifth overall pick by the Islanders back in 2013, he has totaled 162 points (59 goals, 103 assists) over 358 games. 

The 25-year-old made the transition to Edmonton last season, where he saw 34 points (13 goals, 21 assists) over a full 82-game season. This year, he has only tallied one goal and one assist in 18 games. 

Spooner has played on and off with the Rangers over the past two seasons, seeing five goals and 13 assists over 36 games. He came over to the Blueshirts in a trade with Boston earlier this year. 

Anthony Beauvillier scored his first career hat trick as the Islanders topped the Rangers in a 7-5 barn burner at Barclays Center. >> Box score

First period:

• 5:00 NYR Chris Kreider (power play); Assists: Neal Pionk, Mika Zibanejad
• 5:35 NYR Fredrik Claesson; Assists: Brett Howden
• 9:35 NYI Anthony Beauvillier; Assists: Thomas Hickey, Valtteri Filppula
• 10:38 NYI Brock Nelson; Assists: Nick Leddy, Jordan Eberle

Second period:

• 2:24 NYI Anthony Beauvillier; Assists: Valtteri Filppula, Leo Komarov
• 3:21 NYR Kevin Hayes (shorthanded); Assists: None
• 5:13 NYI Anthony Beauvillier (power play; hat trick); Assists: Johnny Boychuk, Mathew Barzal
• 14:04 NYI Anders Lee (power play); Assists: Nick Leddy, Josh Bailey

Third period:

• 9:56 NYI Leo Komarov; Assists: Valtteri Filppula, Anthony Beauvillier
• 13:13 NYR Chris Kreider (power play); Assists: Neal Pionk, Alexander Georgiev
• 17:31 NYR Filip Chytil; Assists: Vladislav Namestnikov, Kevin Shattenkirk
• 19:39 NYI Cal Clutterbuck (empty net); Assists: Brock Nelson

Three months ago almost every NHL preview did not have the Rangers and Islanders as two teams that would be fighting for the lead in the Metropolitan Division, but as we approach their first matchup Thursday night, it appears that neither team read, watched or listened those predictions -- the Isles and Rangers are tied for second place with 20 points, trailing only the Columbus Blue Jackets by two points for the division lead. 

Both teams have taken very different paths to get to this point. 

Let's start with the Islanders, who appear to have moved on from losing former captain John Tavares. The stability that Lou Lamoriello and Barry Trotz have brought to the organization cannot be quantified. While this team is not the most talented, it does not get outworked, plays a much better defensive structure and is keeping the puck out of its own net. Thomas Greiss and Robin Lehner have provided stability between the pipes and the duo of Josh Bailey and Anders Lee have proven that they are not a product of their former captain...

On Thursday night, another chapter of the "Battle of New York" will take place between the Rangers and Islanders at Barclays Center. And if the rivalry between these two teams wasn't enough, they are both tied with 20 points in the Metropolitan Division so far this season. 

Defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk, center Mika Zibanejad, and head coach David Quinn sounded off on the rivalry, and how it has given the team an extra jolt of passion leading up to the puck drop...

The New York Rangers showed their toughness in earning another shootout win Saturday night. A stunning shootout loss earlier Saturday means the Vancouver Canucks will have another opportunity to display their resiliency on six-game Eastern Conference road trip.

The Rangers will look to continue their recent surge, and the Canucks will hope to once again bounce back from a shootout defeat, when New York hosts Vancouver Monday night at Madison Square Garden.

The red-hot Rangers were delivered a pretty big blow on Monday. 

Forward Pavel Buchnevich was ruled out four to six weeks with a broken thumb, the team announced. 

The 23-year-old sustained the injury on Saturday during a 5-4 shootout win over the Blue Jackets. 

Jimmy Vesey delivered the game-tying and game-winning goals to lead the Rangers to a 5-4 shootout win over the Blue Jackets on Saturday. >> Box score

First Period

• 5:54 NYR Mika Zibanejad; Assists: Pavel Buchnevich, Vladislav Namestnikov
• 19:26 CO Cam Atkinson (Power Play); Assists: Pierre-Luc Dubois, Seth Jones Second Period

The New York Rangers and the Columbus Blue Jackets come into Saturday's game for the second night of a back-to-back at Nationwide Arena from different directions.

The Blue Jackets (9-6-1) headed west back to Columbus after a 2-1 victory on Friday night in Washington over the Capitals, the defending Stanley Cup champions.

Kevin Shattenkirk and Neal Pionk each scored goals, but the Red Wings ralled from a 2-0 deficit to win in overtime on Friday night, 3-2. >> Box score

DETROIT -- The New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings are both rebuilding but have played well in their past few games.

Detroit hosts New York Friday night at Little Caesars Arena at 7:30.

The Rangers (7-7-1) have won four straight and the Red Wings (5-8-2) have four victories in their past five games. Also each team won Tuesday night after trailing by two in the second period. New York beat Montreal 5-3 at Madison Square Garden and Detroit defeated Vancouver 3-2 in a shootout at LCA.

Rangers forward Mats Zuccarello is day-to-day with a strained groin, the team announced Thursday.

Head coach David Quinn indicated the 31-year-old will miss at least Friday's game in Detroit and Saturday's game in Columbus.

"We'll see when we get back," Quinn said, per the New York Post, "see how he looks then."

The Rangers overcame a 3-1 deficit in the second period by scoring four unanswered goals -- including three in the third frame -- for a 5-3 come-from-behind victory over the Montreal Canadiens. >> Box score

First period:

• 0:23 MTL Tomas Tatar; Assists: Jordie Benn, Jeff Petry
• 15:50 NYR Chris Kreider; Assists: Kevin Hayes

Lias Andersson is coming to Broadway.

The Rangers called up the 20-year-old Swedish center from AHL Hartford on Monday evening, and he is expected to make his NHL season debut Tuesday against the Canadiens at Madison Square Garden.

Andersson, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2017 NHL draft, has tallied four goals and eight assists in 14 games in Hartford this season after not making the NHL squad out of training camp.

The Rangers scored twice in a 19-second span in the second period to beat the Buffalo Sabres 3-1 on Sunday at Madison Square Garden. >> Box score

First period:

• N/A

Second period:

• 0:41 NYR Neal Pionk; Assists: Vladislav Namestnikov, Mika Zibanejad
• 1:00 NYR Jimmy Vesey; Assists: Brett Howden, Jesper Fast

The Rangers managed to salvage another third-period blown lead with a 3-2 shootout victory over the Ducks on the road Thursday night. Box score

 After earning their first road win nearly a month into the season, the New York Rangers will try to make it two in a row when they face the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday night at Honda Center.

The Rangers (4-7-1) gave up another last-minute goal on Tuesday night to the San Jose Sharks, but rebounded to win 4-3 in the shootout and improve to 1-4-1 on the road this season.

The win came two days after the Rangers blew a two-goal lead at the Los Angeles Kings and later surrendered the tiebreaking goal with 55 seconds left in a 4-3 loss. >> Read more

4:59PM: Elliotte Friedman said that the Rangers will have no trouble moving Zuccarello or Hayes. (Nichols)

12:13PM: Kevin Hayes, Mats Zuccarello and Vlad Namestnikov are all part of TSN's first Trade Bait board of the season. (TSN.ca)

Hayes is ranked 2nd, Zuccarello 3rd and Vlad Namestnikov is 13th. (TSN.ca)

• Namestnikov is reportedly drawing interest around the league.
• Hayes has said that he wants to stay with the Rangers past this season.
• Zuccarello also said that he wants to remain with the Rangers.