Senators defeat Rangers for 4th straight win, spoiling Patrick Kane's debut

Claude Giroux broke a tie early in the third period, former Ranger Derick Brassard scored twice and the visiting Ottawa Senators beat New York 5-3 on Thursday night to spoil Patrick Kane's Rangers debut.

Brassard — playing his 1,000th game — tied it at 1:35 with his 11th of the season off an assist from Giroux, who beat netminder Jaroslav Halak for his 26th goal at 3:26 to put Ottawa ahead to stay.

Shane Pinto and Tim Stützle (empty net) also scored for Ottawa, and Cam Talbot made 29 saves.

WATCH | Brassard scores twice against Rangers in 1,000th NHL game: 

Talbot denied Kane with a pad save with five minutes left in the third to preserve the win as the Rangers lost for only the second time in their last eight home games. The Rangers are still 24-8-4 since Dec. 5.

Ottawa has entered the playoff race with an 11-3-1 surge since losing at home to Winnipeg on Jan. 21.

Tarasenko go-ahead goal was dramatic as he skated in on Talbot before faking left and then backhanding the puck into the net on the goaltender's opposite side at 14:54.

Chris Kreider and Jacob Trouba also scored for the Rangers.

The Rangers couldn't find any third-period offence on a night when Kane made his debut following his acquisition from Chicago, where he won the Stanley Cup three times.

Kane heard loud cheers when he skated out for the pre-game warmups as fans cluttered rows on the New York side of the arena for a glimpse of the newest player wearing his customary No. 88.

That first Garden moment. <a href="https://t.co/M4BbNkQJh2">pic.twitter.com/M4BbNkQJh2</a>

Kane and his reunited Chicago teammate Panarin were the last two off the ice as Kane heard the roar of the crowd again before yet another thunderous during starting lineup introductions.

Kane