The New York Rangers won over the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday night behind a two-goal game from Kevin Klein. The Rangers retook their lead over the New York Islanders in the playoff standings with the victory.
The Rangers won 2-1 after Klein recorded the first two-goal game of his lengthy career. The team got some strong goaltending from Antti Raanta to earn the victory as they start their Wwest Coast road trip. Klein was the driving force for the team in the victory, scoring the eventual game-winner with less than seven minutes left in the third period.
"It's nice, but the two points is the big thing," Klein said. "Just to chip in, I'm happy about that."
The Rangers were down 1-0 when Klein scored his first goal in the second period. Klein is not known for his scoring touch, but on Wednesday he was the complete package for the Ranger offense. This season Klein has 17 points in 57 games, including eight goals and nine assists. The defenseman has been playing well for the Rangers recently, putting up four points in his last five games.
"He's such a heart-and-soul guy," Dominic Moore said. "It's really great to see him be the hero tonight."
The Rangers will continue their California road trip with games against the Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks on Thursday and Saturday. The games are a solid test for the Rangers, as all three teams are in position to make the playoffs in the Western Conference. Raanta earned his second victory of the season against the Ducks on Thursday, helping the Rangers snap a two-game losing streak.
The Rangers won on Wednesday and now they are back in front of the Islanders by two points in the standings. The division title is out of reach with the Washington Capitals leading the NHL with 105 points, but the Rangers now have the advantage again over the Islanders as the season gets closer to ending.
The Rangers beat the Ducks fresh off two losses in a row, to the Red Wings on the road, 3-2, and then the Penguins at home, 5-3. They need to start playing with more consistency overall as the playoffs get closer. The team got back Henrik Lundqvist over the weekend after the goalie sat out with neck spasms. The goaltender had 28 saves in the game against the Penguins, his first start since the injury.
