Dec 16, 2017 3 min read

Mats Zuccarello scored a power-play goal 1:56 into overtime to lift the New York Rangers to a 3-2 victory over the Boston Bruins Saturday.

Michael Grabner and J.T. Miller also scored for the Rangers, who won for the ninth time in 13 games (9-3-1) overall and beat the Bruins for the seventh straight time. Henrik Lundqvist, playing back-to-back days, made 33 saves.

“It’s such a quick release,” said Lundqvist, who made 33 saves playing on back-to-back days. “Every team has one or two players that can snap the puck like that. As a goalie, you just have to be on your toes at all times.

“It’s hard. He fakes it. Looks you off and it comes at you real fast.”

Brad Marchand and Danton Heinen scored for Boston, which lost its second straight after winning nine of 11. Tuukka Rask stopped 25 shots.

Skating 4-on-3 in the overtime after Boston was whistled for too many men on the ice, Zuccarello beat Rask with a rising shot from the right circle.

Carolina 2, Columbus 1: Noah Hanifin scored the tiebreaking goal in the second period, Scott Darling stopped 35 shots and the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-1.

Eric Staal also scored for the Hurricanes, who won their third straight in their first home game after a two-week trip.

Alexander Wenneberg had the goal for the Blue Jackets, and Sergei Bobrovsky finished with 22 saves.

Carolina never trailed despite being handily outshot 36-24 by Columbus. Darling was the primary reason, stopping prime scoring chances throughout by the Blue Jackets to record his first win in his last six starts.

Philadelphia 2, Dallas 1: Shayne Gostisbehere scored two goals, including the game-winner 3:50 into overtime to lead the Philadelphia Flyers to their sixth straight victory, 2-1 over the Dallas Stars.

Brian Elliott made 26 saves and Jakub Voracek had two assists for the Flyers, whose winning streak has followed a 10-game skid.

Gemel Smith scored for Dallas, which ended a four-game road trip 2-1-1. Stars coach Ken Hitchcock was denied his 800th career victory for the second straight game. Hitchcock is vying to become the third NHL coach to reach the milestone.

Gostisbehere scored the winner on the power play after Alexander Radulov was called for hooking.

Edmonton 3, Minnesota 2: The Edmonton Oilers hope Cam Talbot’s return can help stop their roller-coaster December.

Talbot made 29 saves after missing seven games with an undisclosed injury, Milan Lucic had a goal and assist and the Oilers held off the Minnesota Wild 3-2.

Talbot said he felt great after his jokingly self-proclaimed “2 1/2-half week vacation.”

He was eased in as the Oilers had 10 of the first 11 shots on goal.

“Sometimes coming off an extended period like that, sometimes you want early work. But they kept the first few to the outside and let me get comfortable, and just battled out from there and just tried to control the game,” Talbot said.

“Anytime you get one of your core players or key players back, regardless of position but maybe even more important in (goal) it’s calming influence,” coach Todd McLellan said. “I felt our team didn’t panic tonight.”

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jesse Puljujarvi also scored for Edmonton, which has alternated wins and losses for nine straight games dating to Dec. 2.