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Surging Rangers cruise past Senators

Jan 19, 2014 - 12:27 AM Ottawa, ON (SportsNetwork.com) - Derek Stepan posted a goal and two assists as the New York Rangers took a 4-1 win over the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre.

Mats Zuccarello, Brad Richards and Rick Nash also scored for the Rangers, who have won five of their last six. Cam Talbot stopped 29 shots in the win.

"We've been playing like this for a while and not letting what the other team does dictate our play," said Talbot. "We've been doing this for a while now and have been able to find some success with it."

Marc Methot had the only goal of the game for the Senators, who have lost their past two. Craig Anderson allowed all four goals on 31 shots.

"Obviously tonight we didn't get the job done," said Anderson. "Guys would like to fix their mistakes, but there's nothing that can be done about this one, we just have to come back tomorrow and get back to work."

Ottawa opened the scoring at 3:37 of the first period when Cody Ceci sent a pass from the high slot over to the left circle, where Methot's slap shot found the back of the net for his fourth of the season.

New York, though, tied the game near the midway mark of the first. On a power play, Stepan sent a pass from the low left side over to the right, where Richards shot it high over Anderson for his 13th of the season.

The Rangers took a 2-1 lead at 12:45 of the second, as Nash picked up the puck in the neutral zone and flew in down the right wing before sneaking a shot into the left corner of the net.

Late in the second period, Ottawa's Erik Karlsson grabbed the puck behind his net and tried to backhand it out of danger, but it went right to the stick of Stepan and he shot it home with 11.5 seconds left for a 3-1 lead.

Zuccarello scored on a breakaway with 3:10 to play after he picked off a bad pass to account for the final score.

Game Notes

New York hosts Washington on Sunday ... Ottawa hits the road for the next four games starting in Washington on Tuesday ... Ottawa had won five straight against New York, including all three matchups last season ... New York was 1- for-4 on the power play, while Ottawa went 0-for-2.