Rangers close out regular season with 4-2 win over Lightning
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tye Kartye scored two goals and had an assist as the New York Rangers beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2 on Wednesday night in the regular season finale for both teams. Gabe Perreault and Mika Zibanejad — on the power play — also scored for New York, which snapped a three-game losing streak, while Dylan Garand made 29 saves in his first start since March 27.
Zibanejad also had an assist. Oliver Bjorkstrand and Corey Perry scored for the playoff-bound Lightning, who rested several key players. Brandon Halverson made 17 saves.
Kartye scored 4:02 into the game to give the Rangers the early lead, then added his second 1:29 into the second period for his first multi-goal game in the NHL. By adding an assist on Perreault’s goal at 4:49 of the second period that made it 3-0, Kartye had his first three-point NHL game. Perry scored 51 seconds into the third period on a spinning backhand shot.
The Lightning were 0-for-3 on the power play in the game and have just one power-play goal in their last 11 games. Max Crozier was back in the lineup for Tampa Bay after missing 26 games with an injury. Up next Rangers: The Rangers’ season is over.
Lightning: Host Montreal in Game 1 of the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.