Mika Zibanejad scored 2 minutes, 36 seconds into overtime, and the New York Rangers handed the Chicago Blackhawks a 4-3 loss Friday night at the United Center.
It was the sixth consecutive defeat for the Hawks, who dropped their NHL-worst record to 14-35-3. They have won only five of their last 26 games dating to Dec. 10.
Chris Kreider, Alexis Lafreniere and Jonny Brodzinski scored for the Rangers, who carried a 3-1 lead into the third period. Kreider also set up Zibanejad’s winning goal for his 24th assist on the season.
Igor Shesterkin made 28 saves for the Rangers in his first start since Jan. 26. The All-Star went 4-5-1 with an .863 save percentage in his previous 10 games.
The Rangers went 0-for-3 with the man advantage, running their streak of empty power plays to 14 over the last six games. But Zibanejad’s 16th goal of the season, beating Petr Mrázek on the glove side, closed out the Rangers’ fourth straight win.
Nick Foligno, Jason Dickinson and Alex Vlasic scored for the Hawks, and Mrázek made 31 stops.
Foligno started the third-period rally when he stuffed in a rebound at 13:37, and Dickinson tied it at 3 when he tipped home Seth Jones’ shot with 1:02 remaining. It was No. 11 for Foligno and a team-high 16th for Dickinson.
The Hawks outshot the Rangers 12-4 in the third period.
Chicago opened the scoring when Vlasic beat a screened Shesterkin from beyond the left circle 2:39 into the first. But Lafreniere responded at 4:49, knocking home a slick setup from K’Andre Miller.
Lafreniere has three goals in his last four games and 14 on the season. The 22-year-old forward scored 16 goals in 81 games last year.
The Rangers then turned a bad break for the Hawks into a tiebreaking score.
Hawks forward Boris Katchouk lost a skate when he blocked a shot and was pushed to the bench by defenseman Isaak Phillips. That turned into a 2-on-1 rush for the Rangers, and Kreider redirected Adam Fox’s pass into the goal at 6:16 for his 24th on the season.
The lead went to 3-1 9:02 into the second when Brodzinski jumped on a loose puck in front for his third goal in four games and No. 4 on the season.
