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Yankee Dandy: Rangers rip Devils in the Bronx

Jan 27, 2014 - 12:01 AM Bronx, NY (SportsNetwork.com) - Mats Zuccarello scored twice during a second- period blitz as the New York Rangers pounded the New Jersey Devils, 7-3, at Yankee Stadium as part of the NHL's "Stadium Series" on Sunday.

The Rangers scored four times in the second period and reeled off six unanswered goals to win their second outdoor game, having taken a 2-1 overtime win against the Flyers in Philadelphia on Jan. 2, 2012.

Marc Staal, Derek Stepan and Dominic Moore all posted a goal and an assist, while Rick Nash and Carl Hagelin also scored for the Rangers, who had dropped their previous two coming into the game. Henrik Lundqvist stopped 19 shots in the win.

The Blueshirts will be playing at this same spot in three days, as a clash with the Islanders is on tap Wednesday for the fourth of six planned outdoor games this season.

"It's something you are really proud to by a part of," said Zuccarello.

Patrik Elias scored twice and Travis Zajac also scored for the Devils, who had a two-game winning streak snapped.

Martin Brodeur started in net for the 100th time in his career against the Rangers, but was pulled after two periods -- tagged for six goals on 21 shots. Cory Schneider gave up a goal on five shots in relief.

It was the second outdoor game in as many days, as the Ducks and Kings played at Dodger Stadium on Saturday, which saw the Ducks take a 3-0 victory.

With a light snow falling in the second period, the Rangers were able to take the lead with the game-deciding outburst.

The first goal came at 2:48 to tie the game, as John Moore caught up with a clear along the left wing and sent a pass out front where it went off the right skate of a cruising Zuccarello and past Brodeur for a 3-3 deadlock.

It was Zuccarello again lighting the lamp to give the Rangers the lead at 12:44. Eric Gelinas pinched up along the left side of the neutral zone to try and make a play on the puck, but it got past him and the Rangers went the other way on a 3-on-1. Derick Brassard sent a pass from the right wing under the stick of a defender to the left where Zuccarello lifted it in for his 15th of the season and a 4-3 lead.

Just over a minute later, the Rangers added to their advantage as Hagelin's quick shot from the right circle hit off Marek Zidlicky, then went off the side of Brodeur's mask and in.

Another 3-on-1 break led to another New York goal, as Derek Stepan sent a pass from the left wing to the right wing for Nash, who fed the puck to the front where it went off the stick of a New Jersey defenseman and in for a 6-3 lead with 28.5 seconds to play in the second.

Stepan was hooked on a breakaway by Zajac at the midway mark of the third period and was awarded a penalty shot, burying his free chance into the upper left corner for a 7-3 advantage.

Lundqvist had to make just five stops in the third period to preserve the winning margin.

"There was a funny flow to the game in that there wasn't a lot of chances for us in the first period, but we were able to cash in," said New York head coach Alain Vigneault. "But in the second period we had lots of opportunities, so odd-man breaks and we're able to put them away, too."

The Devils drew first blood in the contest with Elias' first goal of the game at 5:36. Fighting off a Ranger in his own zone along the left boards, Ryane Clowe was able to feed a pass through the neutral zone to Elias, who was behind the defense and snapped a wrist shot off the left post and in.

New York answered at 9:07 as Anton Stralman's shot from the right point hit a defender in front, and Moore was parked at the right side of the net to knock in the loose puck for his fourth of the season.

Skating on the power play, Jaromir Jagr helped the Devils take a 2-1 lead as he skated down the left wing and got Lundqvist out of position and fired a quick pass out front before going behind the net, finding a wide open Elias for an easy tap-in at the 11-minute mark.

It was a 3-1 game just over five minutes later, as a left circle faceoff win saw Mark Fayne eventually throw a shot on net from the right point that Zajac eventually swept in for his eighth of the season.

"In that second period they scored four goals and I feel like we stopped playing hockey," said Jagr. "We had things going pretty good in the first period then we changed our game, gave up too many breaks."

The Rangers made it a one-goal game with 3:01 to play in the first as a left circle faceoff win saw Staal grab the puck along the low left boards where he threw a shot on net that fooled Brodeur for his third of the year.

Game Notes

The start of the game was delayed for a little over an hour due to sun glare on the ice ... New Jersey was listed as the home team for this game ... Jagr had two assists in the game and moved past former teammate Mario Lemieux for 10th place in NHL history with 1,035 ... Brodeur has a mark of 49-31-5 with 15 ties and nine shutouts during the regular season against the Rangers ... The 10 goals tied an NHL-high for an outdoor game, as the Detroit Red Wings took a 6-4 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks at Wrigley Field on Jan. 1, 2009 ... The Devils had taken the previous three matchups with the Rangers this season ... Attendance was 50,105.