Klein's two goals rescue Rangers in Anaheim

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[March 17, 2016]  ANAHEIM, Calif. -- What Kevin Klein gave away, he took back for the New York Rangers.

Klein scored twice to give the New York Rangers a 2-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday night at the Honda Center.

The defenseman registered the first two-goal game of his career after committing a turnover that led to the Ducks' goal.

"I wanted a little redemption for that first goal against," Klein said. "That was my bad. But I thought we did a great job defending, for the most part."

Goalie Antti Raanta stopped 22 shots for the Rangers, who moved into second place in the Metropolitan Division by two points over the New York Islanders.

"We had to work for every inch," Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said. "There wasn't a lot for either team, but I thought we played one of our better defensive games of the year. We didn't give their top players a lot of looks because of our compete level and our defensive structure."

Left winger Jamie McGinn scored for the Ducks, who received 21 saves from goalie John Gibson but sustained their fourth loss in five games. Anaheim (38-22-9) remains four points behind the first-place Los Angeles Kings and one point ahead of the San Jose Sharks in the Pacific Division.

"I thought we passed up too many shots," Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau said. "We tried to be cute. When we're a cute team and we're not just trying to get pucks to the net, we're not effective."

New York (40-23-7) also frustrated the hosts by blocking 18 shots, nine of them in the first period.

"They block a lot of shots; we knew that coming in," Ducks right winger Corey Perry said. "They get in the lanes, and you have to find a way to get pucks by them."

Klein used his eighth goal of the season to break a 1-1 tie with 6:41 to play in the third period. Eric Staal began the scoring play by passing from the left point through Anaheim defenseman Korbinian Holzer's legs toward the onrushing Klein near the right post.

The puck glanced off the left skate of Ducks defenseman Hampus Lindholm, then caromed off Klein's stick past Gibson.

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The Ducks took a 1-0 lead with 5:57 left in the first period by forcing and exploiting a turnover. As Klein circled with the puck at the left circle, Perry stole it with a sweeping poke check. Perry then passed to McGinn, who converted a wrist shot from the slot inside the left post for his 17th goal.

Klein tied the score 3:11 into the second period. Gibson used his stick to block Tanner Glass' shot from the left circle, but the rebound ricocheted all the way to the right circle, where Klein waited. With Gibson out of position, Klein shot the puck into an open net.

NOTES: New York scratched C Oscar Lindberg and D Dylan McIlrath (right knee). ... Rangers LW Tanner Glass returned to the lineup after missing Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Penguins because of an upper-body injury. ... Rangers D Marc Staal played his 605th game for the club to tie Dave Maloney for 20th place on the team's all-time list. ... Rangers D Keith Yandle played in his 536th consecutive game. Yandle's streak is the second longest among active players. ... Ducks LW Andrew Cogliano appeared in his 691st successive game Wednesday night. ... Anaheim scratched D Kevin Bieksa (lower body), C Mike Santorelli, C Nate Thompson (lower body) and D Sami Vatanen (upper body). ... Ducks RW Brandon Pirri made his team debut. Pirri, acquired from the Florida Panthers on Feb. 28, missed 13 games after injuring his left ankle Feb. 13 against the Nashville Predators. ... Bruce Boudreau earned his 200th victory as the Ducks' coach on Monday in a 7-1 rout of the New Jersey Devils.

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