Rangers stay in playoff hunt with shutout of Predators

J.T. Miller and K'Andre Miller scored in a span of 2:23 early in the second period as the New York Rangers earned a 4-0 victory over the visiting Nashville Predators on Sunday night.

The Rangers won for the third time in four games and pulled within two points of the Detroit Red Wings for the second wild-card spot. New York's 64 points are the same as the Ottawa Senators and Boston Bruins.

J.T. Miller scored his sixth goal in 10 games since returning to the Rangers in a trade with the Vancouver Canucks on Jan. 31 when he tallied during a power play. K'Andre Miller finished off an odd-man rush with J.T., giving the Rangers a three-goal lead.

Artemi Panarin scored in the first period and assisted on J.T. Miller's latest goal. Mika Zibanejad collected assists on both goals in the second period and drew the penalty on Jonathan Marchessault that led to J.T. Miller's goal

Rookie Brett Berard scored late in the third and Calvin de Haan added an assist in his debut for the Rangers after being acquired from the Colorado Avalanche for Ryan Lindgren and Jimmy Vesey on Saturday.

New York backup goaltender Jonathan Quick appeared in his 800th regular-season game and made 20 of his 34 saves in the third for his 402nd career win to move into sole possession of 14th on the all-time list and within one of Grant Fuhr.

Quick highlighted his 63rd career shutout by diving back to get his stick on a shot by Nick Blankenburg in the opening minute of the third before making a diving pad save on Marchessault with 15:22 left.

The Predators were blanked for the ninth time this season and lost for the 10th time in 13 games (3-10-0).

Nashville goalie Justus Annunen allowed four goals on 34 shots.

The Rangers went ahead with 11:28 left in the first when Panarin lifted a slap shot into the top of the net following a neutral zone turnover by Nashville.

After the Rangers went on the power play 26 seconds into the second, Panarin faked out Annunen in the slot to get him to leave the right side of the net open. Panarin looked at J.T. Miller and his pass through the slot landed into the open right side of the net 62 seconds into the second.

Zibanejad helped the Rangers score the third goal by forcing a turnover on Michael McCarron in the corner near the New York net. He sprung the Millers on an odd-man rush and K'Andre Miller backhanded a puck into the net after getting by Kiefer Bellows and Spencer Stastney.

--Field Level Media