Lehner, Senators delay Rangers' playoff clinching with 3-2 victory

New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist (30), of Sweden, stops a shot on the goal by Ottawa Senators' Ales Hemsky (83) who flipped over him on the play during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, April 5, 2014, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II) (The Associated Press)

Ottawa Senators goalie Robin Lehner stops a shot during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Rangers on Saturday, April 5, 2014, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II) (The Associated Press)

Robin Lehner made 41 saves and held off a furious late push by New York to lift the Ottawa Senators to a 3-2 victory that prevented the Rangers from clinching an Eastern Conference playoff berth on Saturday night.

The Rangers needed only one point to secure a postseason spot for the fourth straight year, but were shut down by the Senators, who hold only faint playoff chances.

Mark Stone and Mika Zibanejad scored in the first, and Jason Spezza made it 3-1 in the second for Ottawa, which squandered a 3-0 lead in a 7-4 loss to Montreal on Friday.

Mats Zuccarello deflected in two goals in the middle period to bring the Rangers within a goal each time. Henrik Lundqvist made 31 saves in the loss.