NEW YORK — Thomas Greiss has been a thorn in the New York Rangers' side throughout his career, and Thursday he proved to be once more.
Greiss stopped 37 shots as the Red Wings went into Madison Square Garden and swiped a 3-2 shootout victory.
Greiss raised his career record to 6-0-1 against the Rangers, while earning his second consecutive victory in six days, frustrating the Rangers throughout the evening.
In the shootout, Pius Suter scored on his first-ever attempt in the extra session to clinch a 2-1 edge for the Wings, with Lucas Raymond scoring the other goal.
Both teams had glorious chances in overtime, only be thwarted by the goaltending of Greiss and the Rangers' Igor Shesterkin (31 saves), and individual efforts.
Dylan Larkin came back down the ice and broke up a potential Artemi Panarin breakaway, then returned on the other end, only to be stopped in the waning seconds of overtime.
The Rangers tied it 2-2 on Mika Zibajenad's power-play goal in the third period.
After the Wings failed on a power-play attempt — they were goal-less on three attempts Thursday — then saw Robby Fabbri penalized to nullify to final 14 seconds, the Rangers quickly tied it.
Reigning Norris Trophy winner Adam Fox found Zibajenad alone near the dot, and Zibajenad blasted a one-timer past Greiss for his 19th goal.
Shesterkin made a big glove save with just under a minute left in regulation time on Larkin, who scored earlier in the game, to force overtime.
Troy Stecher and Larkin had Red Wings goals, as the Wings evened their record to 1-1-0 while in the midst of playing seven of the top eight teams in the NHL's overall standings.
K'Andre Miller scored for the Rangers.
Larkin answered Miller's goal, just 90 seconds after the big Rangers defenseman had tied the game 1-1.
Miller received the puck from Barclay Goodrow and skated all the way around the net, before sneaking the puck between the post and Greiss for Miller's fourth goal, at 12:18.
The Rangers' goal wasn't a shock in the fact they had numerous scoring opportunities from midway of the second period. There was a sense of it was going to happen eventually.
But instead of drooping, the Wings came right back and answered with Larkin's 26th goal.
Danny DeKeyser had the puck at the point and lifted a shot off the end board that rebounded directly to Larkin near the low circle. Larkin quickly snapped a shot that Shesterkin couldn't get back fast enough on, restoring the Wings lead at 13:48.
Greiss was a factor, again, in the second period, with his best work coming on a flurry midway in the period that saw Panarin and Goodrow have good looks in front, but Greiss was able to turn the shots away.
Just like Monday in Minnesota, the Wings got on the board early with Stecher's first goal of the season.
Stecher got the puck at the point and snapped a shot that glanced off Rangers defenseman Zac Jones in front of the crease and eluded Shesterkin just 2:18 after the game.
The Wings carried the play for the first half of the period, not allowing the Rangers' first shot on Greiss until midway in the period.
But once the Rangers got rolling, they had several quality scoring opportunities but Greiss was there to swipe them away — or the Rangers simply botched an odd-man rush, or two.
Rangers forward Panarin had the puck on his stick on a 2-on-1 rush, but threw a pass through the middle of the slot that Danny DeKeyser shooed away.
On a 3-on-1 Rangers rush, Zibanejad nudged the puck wide of the net, eliminating that scoring chance.
The Rangers also hit a goalpost, and on a shorthanded breakaway, Goodrow shot directly into Greiss.
The Wings didn't help themselves either, though, wasting the only two power-play opportunities in the period, and putting little pressure on Shesterkin on either advantage.
