NEW YORK — Game three of the Rangers’ four-game set against the Devils was on the way to being another blowout until Devils forward Nathan Bastian skated into Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin after Shesterkin covered up a puck early in the third period.
Shesterkin took exception to Bastian coming at him, and his teammates jumped Bastian, which sparked some angry words and, eventually, matching minor penalties against Bastian and the Rangers’ Chris Kreider. The Devils then scored two goals on the ensuing four-on-four, and suddenly, the Rangers unexpectedly found themselves in a one-goal game.
But Pavel Buchnevich, on his 26th birthday, rescued the Rangers when he scored into an empty net with 1:21 to go, completing his first career hat trick, and slumping Chris Kreider added an empty-netter of his own to give the Rangers a 6-3 win, their third straight over the Devils. The teams play again Sunday afternoon in Newark to finish their season series.
The win allowed the Rangers to pull back within four points of the idle Boston Bruins, who currently hold the fourth and final playoff spot in the East Division. The Rangers have 12 games remaining in the regular season. The Bruins have 14.
Buchnevich, who took over the team goal-scoring lead, became the first Rangers player — and the 14th NHL player (Wayne Gretzky did it twice) — to score a hat trick on his birthday. He started the Rangers off at 7:26 of the first period, when he finished a two-on-one pass from Mika Zibanejad (three assists) and then Ryan Strome made it 2-0 with a five-on-three power-play goal, also set up by Zibanejad, at 10:25.
Buchnevich’s second goal, also on the power play, made it 3-0 at 11:47 of the period. Artemi Panarin (goal, three assists) scored 32 seconds into the second period to extend the lead to 4-0.
But the Devils got back in the game when Michael McLeod scored at 12:37 of the period to end Shesterkin’s bid for a third straight shutout. The goal ended Shesterkin's scoreless streak at 199 minutes, 23 seconds against the Devils.
But that goal did more than just spoil Shesterkin’s shutout bid. It served to get the Devils going and back in the game. They outshot the Rangers 12-7 in the second period and Shesterkin was forced to come up with some big saves to preserve the three-goal lead going into the third period.
Then, 27 seconds after Bastian and Kreider got sent off, P.K. Subban scored on a slap shot past a K’Andre Miller screen and by Shesterkin, to make it 4-2 at 5:34 of the third. A minute and four seconds after that, Yegor Sharangovich scored to make it 4-3. David Quinn called timeout at that point, and the Rangers managed to regain their composure and finish the job, aided greatly by Buchnevich.
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Birthday boys
Pavel Buchnevich became the 15th player in NHL history to score a hat trick on his birthday. Here are the 14 others (Wayne Gretzky did it twice):
Player, team, birth date, game date
Viktor Arvidsson, Predators, 4/8/1993, 4/8/2021
Patrick Sharp, Blackhawks, 12/27/1981, 12/27/2013
Pavol Demitra, Blues, 11/29/1974, 11/29/2002
Dino Ciccarelli, Capitals, 2/8/1960, 2/8/1991
Wayne Gretzky, Kings, 1/26/1961, 1/26/1991
Jari Kurri, Oilers, 5/18/1960, 5/18/1990
Paul MacLean, Jets, 3/9/1958, 3/9/1988
Mike Gartner, Capitals, 10/29/1959, 10/29/1985
Wayne Gretzky, Oilers, 1/26/1961, 1/29/1985
Lanny McDonald, Flames, 2/16/1953, 2/16/1984
Gilbert Perreault, Sabres, 11/13/1950, 11/13/1983
Mats Hallin, Islanders, 3/19/1958, 3/19/1983
Butch Goring, Kings, 10/22/1949, 10/22/1975
Phil Esposito, Bruins, 2/20/1942, 2/20/1974
