TAMPA, Fla. — On Saturday night, Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov each contributed significantly with a goal and two assists as the Tampa Bay Lightning triumphed over the struggling New York Rangers with a score of 6-2.

Anthony Cirelli and Ryan McDonagh both netted short-handed goals, while Jake Guentzel and Nick Paul added to the tally for the Lightning, who have clinched victory in six of their last seven games. Andrei Vasilevskiy shone in goal, making a remarkable 42 saves.

For New York, Artemi Panarin managed to score on a power play, and Vincent Trocheck found the net while short-handed. Igor Shesterkin had a tough outing, conceding five goals on just 13 shots, after which he was replaced at the 8:08 mark of the second period by Jonathan Quick, who let in one goal on 12 shots.

The Rangers, who began the season well, have seen their fortunes plummet to a dismal 4-14 record over their last 18 contests.

Tampa Bay surged ahead with three goals in the second period, including one from Point, who now has 23 goals this season, placing him just one behind NHL leader Leon Draisaitl of Edmonton.

In a bit of a turnaround for the Rangers, veteran forward Chris Kreider returned to the ice after being a healthy scratch during Monday’s game against New Jersey.

**Key takeaways:** For the Rangers, Shesterkin’s early departure marked the third time this season he has been pulled from a game. Meanwhile, the Lightning’s captain, Victor Hedman, set a new team record by playing his 1,083rd game, surpassing Steven Stamkos. Cirelli also reached a milestone, becoming the fourth Lightning player to tally two short-handed points in one game and moving into second place for the most short-handed goals (15) in team history, surpassing Rob Zamuner.

**Key Moment:** A defining moment occurred when the Rangers were enjoying a power play with the game tied at one goal each. McDonagh took control, moving end-to-end against his former team and scoring at 18:11 of the first period, granting Tampa Bay a 2-1 lead despite being outshot 17-6 during that stretch.

**Key Stat:** This game marked the tenth time in franchise history the Lightning scored two short-handed goals, a feat not seen since March 2020 against Boston.

**Looking Ahead:** The Rangers are set to face Florida on Monday in a rematch of last season’s Eastern Conference Final, while the Lightning will host Montreal on Sunday.