NEW YORK – Mats Zuccarello scored the lone goal in the shootout, and the New York Rangers overcame another two-goal performance by Toronto's Phil Kessel to beat the Maple Leafs 3-2 on Wednesday night.
The Rangers moved back into seventh place in the Eastern Conference.
Zuccarello, called out before the game by Rangers coach John Tortorella to score more, connected in the second round of the tiebreaker against James Reimer. Henrik Lundqvist turned aside all three Toronto shooters, and the Rangers (20-16-4) moved into a flat-footed tie with the New York Islanders, who had claimed seventh on Tuesday.
The area rivals will meet Saturday on Long Island.
The Ottawa Senators also are even with the Rangers and Islanders with 44 points at the bottom of the East race.
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