Rangers ride 4-goal third to victory over Canadiens

Chris Kreider scored a tiebreaking power-play goal 3:59 into the third period, Artemi Panarin added a goal and three assists and the host New York Rangers earned a 5-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday night.

The Rangers (53-21-4, 110 points) matched the team record for regular-season wins set in 2014-15 and won for the eighth time in nine games (8-1-0).

Kreider scored in the third period on a power play for the third straight game by scoring on a quick deflection.

After Montreal defenseman Joel Armia took a hooking penalty, Kreider scored his 38th goal 54 seconds later. Panarin took a shot from the middle of the ice near the blue line that went under Jake Evans and under Mike Matheson's skate.

Kreider was all alone in front and quickly tipped the puck under Montreal Cayden Primeau's glove for his 17th power-play goal of the season. It was Kreider's 109th career power-play tally, surpassing Rod Gilbert for second in team history.

Panarin continued his pursuit of Jaromir Jagr's single-season points record by scoring 2:10 after Kreider's tally. Panarin extended his points streak to nine games and his 115 points are eight shy of Jagr's team record set in 2005-06.

Panarin notched his fourth four-point game of the season when he finished a give-and-go with Alexis Lafreniere, who capped the four-goal third by scoring an empty-netter.

Mika Zibanejad (two goals, assist) added a power-play goal in the second period before scoring his second of the game with 3:04 left as the Rangers extended their Metropolitan Division lead over the Carolina Hurricanes to five points. New York also moved three ahead of the Boston Bruins in the race for the President's Trophy.

New York goalie Igor Shesterkin made 26 saves.

Primeau made 41 saves.

Cole Caulfield scored late in the first period and Alex Newhook also tallied as the Canadiens (29-36-12, 70 points) dropped their third straight.

Caufield scored with 30 seconds left when he was alone at the left side of the net after deflecting a long pass from David Savard. After being stopped on his initial shot, he controlled his rebound and slid the puck under Shesterkin for his 24th goal.

Zibanejad tied it 10 seconds into New York's second power play when his pass from the right circle intended for Kreider at the edge of the crease banked off Armia's skate.