Rangers edge Lightning, take 2-0 series lead to Tampa

Mika Zibanejad scored in the third period, Igor Shesterkin stopped 29 shots and the New York Rangers beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 on Friday night to take a 2-0 series lead in the Eastern Conference finals.

K'Andre Miller and Kaapo Kakko scored in the first period, and Adam Fox and Chris Kreider each had two assists for the Rangers. New York won its eighth straight home game, extending a franchise playoff record.

Nikita Kucherov had a goal and an assist for Tampa Bay, Nicholas Paul also scored, and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 25 saves. The Lightning goalie has allowed nine goals in two games against the Rangers after limiting Florida to three in a four-game sweep in the second round.

The series shifts to Tampa for Game 3 on Sunday and Game 4 on Tuesday night.

Zibanejad extended the Rangers' lead to 3-1 early in the third period. Shortly after missing wide on a 2-on-1, he got a pass from Fox, skated into the left circle and fired a shot that beat Vasilevskiy high on the stick side at 1:21. It was Zibanejad's ninth of the playoffs and gave him goals in six of the last seven games.

With Vasilevskiy pulled for an extra skater, Paul scored in front off a pass from Corey Perry to pull the Lightning within one with 2:04 left.

With the Rangers leading 2-1 after 20 minutes, Tyler Motte nearly added to it 3 1/2 minutes into the second period as his backhander trickled through Vasilevskiy's pads and was on the goal line when Corey Perry dove across to keep it out.

The Rangers outshot the Lightning 14-10 in the scoreless middle period, with most of Tampa Bay's attempts coming in the last six minutes. Shesterkin stopped a shot by Paul from the right doorstep, an attempt in close seconds later by Ross Colton, and then a deflection by