NEW YORK — Mika Zibanejad scored three times for his third hat trick in 22 games and seventh of his career to help lift the New York Rangers beat the Buffalo Sabres 6-3 on Sunday night.
Kaapo Kakko added two goals and Kevin Rooney had an empty-netter for the Rangers. They pulled within four points of Boston for the final playoff spot in the East Division after the Bruins lost 1-0 to Pittsburgh earlier Sunday.
Adam Fox had three assists and Igor Shesterkin made 31 saves to improve to 4-0-1 in his career against Buffalo.
The Rangers won for the seventh time in their last 10 games and improved to 5-1-1 against the Sabres this season, including 3-0-0 at home. The teams meet again Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden.
Jeff Skinner, Victor Olofsson and Sam Reinhart scored for the Sabres. Dustin Tokarski made 23 saves.
PENGUINS 1, BRUINS 0
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Tristan Jarry made 29 saves for his first shutout of the season and Jake Guentzel scored in Pittsburgh's victory over Boston.
Jarry has won his last four decisions, including a sloppy 7-6 home victory over New Jersey last week, in which he allowed six third-period goals. He rebounded two nights later against the Devils and has earned a point in 11 of his last 12 starts.
Guentzel scored his 21st at 4:03 of the third period to help the Penguins win their fourth straight.
Bryan Rust and Brian Dumoulin made a plays at the blueline and along the wall to keep the puck in the zone and get it to Sidney Crosby near the goal-line. Crosby set up Guentzel, who ripped a high slap shot past Jeremy Swayman’s glove from the left faceoff dot.
LIGHTNING 4, BLUE JACKETS 3, OT
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Victor Hedman scored 10 seconds into overtime to give lift Tampa Bay past Columbus.
Ondrej Palat had a goal and two assists, Mathieu Joseph and Alex Barre-Boulet also scored, and Brayden Point had three assists for Tampa Bay. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 19 saves for his NHL-leading 28th victory of the season.
The Lightning moved to within a point of idle Florida for second place in the Central Division. Tampa Bay has played one less game than the Panthers.
Eric Robinson scored twice and Mikhail Grigorenko added a goal for Columbus. The Blue Jackets are winless in nine games 0-7-2.
FLYERS 4, DEVILS 3, SO
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Claude Giroux scored twice in 22 seconds to force overtime and was one of three Flyers to score in a shootout in Philadelphia's victory over New Jersey.
Sean Couturier also scored in regulation for the Flyers, and Brian Elliott had 29 saves.
Michael McLeod, Miles Wood and Pavel Zach scored for New Jersey. The Devils have gone 10 straight games without a win.
The teams will meet again Tuesday night in New Jersey.
The Associated Press