Rangers edged by stingy Lightning, 2-1

John Tortorella thought his team did what it needed to do to win Sunday. Tampa Bay Lightning coach Guy Boucher called it the ugliest game of his team's season. But the result wasn't what you might think.

Vinny Lecavalier snapped a tie in the third period with a power-play goal and the Lightning beat the Rangers, 2-1, at Madison Square Garden.

Tortorella had some other choice words for referees Ian Walsh and Kelly Sutherland, who whistled Dan Girardi for a questionable boarding call against Tampa Bay forward Martin St. Louis 1:11 into the third of a 1-1 game.

Brian Boyle tossed a clearing pass over the glass for a delay of game call just 53 seconds later, giving the Lightning a two-man advantage.

And, unlike the Rangers were able to do in three first-period power plays with new addition Bryan McCabe at the point, the Lightning cashed in. Lecavalier's one-timer from the left circle 2:40 into the third was the winner in a game that featured only 42 shots on goal, 23 by the Rangers, and a bunch of unhappy people on both sides.

"We gave 'em -- all night long and we get beat on a five-on-three, on a -- call to start it," Tortorella said. "Both teams are grinding . . . I just wish the league would stay the hell out of it and let the teams decide it."

The Rangers were trying to get McCabe, acquired Saturday from the Panthers, into the flow and into using his big shot from the point on the power play. They couldn't get much of anything through to Dwayne Roloson (22 saves) in the first, managing just one shot on goal over the first 19 minutes despite controlling the play.

Their only mistake was not using their size to negate Tampa's speed, especially once the puck got below the Lightning goal line. Girardi pinched to make a play early in the first, but his centering pass started an odd-man rush the other way that finished with St. Louis' one-timer 5:42 in that got under Henrik Lundqvist, who was caught deep in his net to get a decent position on the stoppable shot.

But that was all the Rangers gave Tampa Bay, even through three second-period power plays. Brandon Prust tied it with a shorthanded bull rush to the net 9:42 into the second, and the Rangers carried some momentum into the third period.

"It was really some puck battles early. They won the ones they needed to and we didn't," Derek Stepan said. "We didn't give them much all game."

But the penalties early in the third reversed the momentum. Brandon Dubinsky took another questionable call just minutes after the go-ahead goal, when Randy Jones backed over Dubinsky at the blue line and went down.

"We did take some stupid penalties," Tortorella said. "But Danny Girardi's is not a boarding call. It's just a simple guess. But we gave them nothing five on four. Nothing. And they beat us with a five-on-three."

Today's 3 p.m. trade deadline might bring another new face to the Rangers, but they could have won this one with the new face they already brought in. McCabe had a good chance with 25.5 seconds left, a blast from straight on that trickled past Roloson but was swept off the goal line, and McCabe looked comfortable in 17:35 without a practice with his new team.

"It's a meat-and-potatoes team," McCabe said. "They're going to work their butts off. We just have to find a way to score."