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Malone's OT goal lifts Lightning over Rangers

Mar 3, 2012 - 4:31 AM Tampa, FL (Sports Network) - Ryan Malone scored the game-winning goal 1:58 into overtime to lead the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 4-3 victory over the Eastern Conference-leading New York Rangers.

Teddy Purcell gained the blue line on the right wing and fed Malone, who blew a quick wrister past Henrik Lundqvist from the high slot for the winner.

Steven Stamkos scored his league-leading 45th goal of the season and added an assist, while Purcell scored and added two helpers. Tom Pyatt also lit the lamp for the Lightning, who have won three straight. Mathieu Garon stopped 16-of-19 shots in the victory.

"Everyone played great, this was obviously a huge game for us," Malone said. "On the goal, I just tried to get around the defense and put it on goal."

Marian Gaborik had a goal and an assist, while Artem Anisimov and Brandon Dubinsky also scored for the Rangers, who had their three-game winning streak snapped. Lundqvist was tagged for all four goals on 31 shots.

Trailing, 2-0 early in the second period, Tampa struck for three consecutive goals to grab the lead.

Tampa Bay cut the deficit to 2-1 at 7:09 of the second period when Brian Lee let a shot go from the high slot that was deflected by Brett Connolly in front. The puck hopped over Lundqvist and he managed to get his glove on it in the crease, but Pyatt slammed it home while crashing the net.

Purcell found the back of the net 3:37 into the third stanza after he got a great feed from Martin St.Louis and ripped it into the open net from in close. Stamkos then tallied to put the Lightning in front at 10:17 of the third when he took a pass in the slot from Lee, turned toward the net and fired a wrister through traffic and past Lundqvist.

The Rangers responded through, as Dubinsky beat Garon with a snap shot at 16:33 to tie the game.

New York struck first at 10:09 of the first period when Anisimov collected a loose puck off the stick of Ryan McDonagh in the left circle and fired a wrist shot past Garon.

The Rangers extended their lead with a 5-on-3 power-play goal just 2:43 into the second period when Gaborik rotated from the right half-wall out to the high slot to receive a pass from Derek Stepan before one-timing it in behind Garon.

"This game was tough from start to finish," Lundqvist said. "Yeah we had the 2-0 lead, but I don't think we deserved the 2-0 lead. It felt like they made it tough for us all night."

Game Notes

The Rangers and Lightning split the four-game season series...The Lightning improved to 20-3-6 in one-goal games this year...New York went 1-for-2 with the man advantage, while the Lightning failed to score on four power play chances.