Henrik Lundqvist blanks Predators as Rangers win ninth straight at Garden

Another night, another improbable win.

Henrik Lundqvist made 31 saves as the Rangers fought off the Predators Monday night, killing 10 minutes of penalties in the first 40 minutes and scoring twice in the third period for a 3-0 win at Madison Square Garden.

After two periods, the shot attempts were 65 to 20 in favor of Nashville -- and yet the Rangers led 1-0 on Rick Nash's fourth goal in two games.

"They were the better team for two periods, but we found a way again," said Lundqvist, who secured his second shutout of the season and earned his 12th win. "I can't say enough about the guys playing on the PK. They've been strong all year, the way they put pressure on them. Nash scores a huge goal. You find a way to stay alive.

"They really set the tone with [11] huge blocks in the first. For them to step in front of him [defenseman Shea Weber] and pay the price, I really have a lot of respect for that. Sometimes you can't see the puck and you need guys to step up."

The Blueshirts (16-3-2) blocked a season-high 26 shots in winning their ninth straight home game. Nashville has been shut out in its last three games.

Nash, who had a hat trick on Saturday, went down the left side around Mike Fisher at mid-ice and sent a high, short-side wrister past Pekka Rinne at 4:32 of the second. It was only the fifth shot of the game on Rinne, who finished with 16 saves.

Nash's sixth goal of the season was his fourth in the last four meetings with the Predators. "I could tell this morning [at the skate], just the way he was shooting the puck. He's hungry and I'm happy for him," Lundqvist said. "Goals are coming."

In the first period, the Rangers, who were outshot 14-3, killed three penalties, including a double-minor on Stepan for high-sticking Craig Smith at 16:39.

The home crowd started getting restless late in the second. When Nash was sent off at 15:32 for sliding to swipe away the puck and tripping Austin Watson at 15:32 -- the fourth call against the Rangers -- Lundqvist skated away from the net to protest and waved his glove in disgust. Watson applauded and mimicked the official's call while the fans taunted "these refs [stink]" and booed a puck battle on the penalty kill when no call was made on Nashville.

"We took too many penalties," Marc Staal said. "It's frustrating. Every time we dumped the puck in, we had to change and they were coming back at us. I thought we regrouped well in the third.''

The Rangers extended the lead to 2-0 at 4:32. Kevin Hayes, playing right wing instead of center, found Staal near the net. Staal waited and fed Stepan, who redirected the pass past Rinne's extended left pad for his sixth goal.

Predators forward Calle Jarnkrok hit the crossbar with 11:23 left, and the Rangers picked up their second power play 16 seconds later when Gabriel Bourque tripped Jarret Stoll -- one of six penalties in the period for the frustrated Predators.

Oscar Lindberg won a faceoff and Hayes' long wrister hit defenseman Barret Jackman and eluded Rinne for a power-play goal and a 3-0 lead at 10:38.

"They have an aggressive PK, so our main thing was to get a shot off the faceoff," Hayes said. "I tried a no-look shot and it went through."