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 The Rangers left winger registered his fourth goal in the last
seven games and 50th career game-winner, poking a rebound off a shot
from center Chris Kreider with 1:58 to play that broke a 2-2 tie.
"I think it was 50 percent luck ... well, probably 70 percent luck
and 30 percent skill," said Nash of his 10th goal of the season. "I
was just following the puck and it rolled up. It went a little bit
higher than anticipated, but luckily it went in."
The game was a display of two goaltenders who will be appearing in
the Winter Olympics in Russia in February. Dallas' Kari Lehtonen
will be representing Finland and New York's Henrik Lundqvist will be
in the net for Sweden.
Lehtonen stopped 31 shots and Lundqvist made 24 saves.
The victory followed the Rangers most impressive win this season, a
3-2 decision against the Blackhawks in Chicago on Wednesday. A
better team on the road at 14-10-0, the Rangers are starting to play
more consistently at Madison Square Garden, where they are 9-10-3
and have claimed three of their last four.
"We talked about it this morning, to follow up with a really strong
game and we did," said Lundqvist, who moved to 14-16-3. "We played
really hard and smart. It's always a great feeling when you come up
big in the end of a game like we did tonight."
After getting shut out for the first time all season against New
Jersey on Thursday, Dallas struck first when center Cody Eakin's
wrist shot glanced off Lundqvist's shoulder and dropped into the net
at 4:06 of the first period. Center Ryan Garbutt and defenseman
Jordie Benn had the assists on Eakin's ninth goal and first in eight
games.
New York evened it at 1 on Ryan Callahan's eighth goal of the season
at 11:20 of the first. The Rangers right winger received a short
pass from center Brad Richards and poked it behind Lehtonen as he
was falling down.
Dallas moved ahead 2-1 at 3:34 of the second period. Garbutt deked
out Lundqvist on his forehand after taking a pass from left winger
Antoine Roussel, who skated down the left side unscathed.
The Rangers power-play unit tied the game at 2 at 8:22 of the second
period. Center Derick Brassard deflected left winger Mats
Zuccarello's shot from the high slot for his seventh goal and
team-leading fifth on the power play.
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Brassard has collected a point in eight of the Rangers' last
11 games.
"Our power play has been working real well for us," said Rangers
coach Alain Vigneault. "It's been giving us momentum and timely
goals."
The Rangers had a good opportunity to take their first lead of
the game early in the third period, but the Stars were able kill
off a 4-on-3 power play, allowing just two shots.
New York (23-20-3) is 7-3-1 in its last 11 games.
The Stars are 0-5 in January and have been outscored 26-10.
Dallas (20-16-7) was outscored 11-5 on its recently concluded
three-game Metropolitan trip, which included stops at New Jersey
and Long Island before skating at Madison Square Garden.
"We had a couple of pretty good looks in the third and we missed
a couple," said Dallas coach Lindy Ruff. "I thought we skated
better and I thought we created a little more, but we still have
a ways to go though."
NOTES: C Tyler Seguin, who leads Dallas with 21 goals and 41
points, has not managed a point in four straight games. He came
up empty on four shots Friday. ... New York has won four of its
last five meetings with Dallas, outscoring it 14-9. ... Rangers
C Derick Brassard won a game high 15 of 21 face-offs. ... Dallas
is next to last in the NHL in power-play efficiency at 12.7
percent. Florida is last at 10.3 percent. ... Dallas RW Alex
Chiasson and RW Valeri Nichushkin are tied for seventh among NHL
rookies with 22 points apiece. ... Rangers RW Mats Zuccarello is
the only Norwegian player in the NHL named to represent his
country in the Winter Olympics in Russia. ... Stars G Kari
Lehtonen is second among active goalies with 19 career assists.
... Newly acquired Rangers LW Daniel Carcillo made his Madison
Square Garden debut, recording a team-high eight hits.
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