Rangers lose to Lightning in shootout

The Rangers entered Thursday night's game wondering how their defense would hold up in their first game without Michael Sauer.

For 58 minutes, they did OK. But a shorthanded goal by Tampa Bay's Dominic Moore with 1:57 left tied the score, and Moore added the lone shootout goal as the Lightning beat the Rangers, 3-2, at Madison Square Garden.

Afterward, Rangers coach John Tortorella began his news conference with an apology -- not for the loss, but for his center, Artem Anisimov, who drew a costly (and lengthy) penalty in the second period after scoring the go-ahead goal.

Tortorella, who withheld Anisimov from speaking with the media, called his exaggerated celebration after the goal "wrong" and didn't blame the Lightning for attacking him. The resulting scrum landed Anisimov in the penalty box for 16 minutes.

"I don't think he realized what would happen in that type situation," Tortorella said. "It's a lesson learned pretty quickly."

With Anisimov out, the Rangers couldn't build on a strong first period, but they still led 2-1 late in the game. Then Moore managed to slip past two defenders and flick the goal past Henrik Lundqvist to mute the packed crowd.

"We knew they would be desperate," said Lundqvist, who finished with 29 saves. "In the end, we had a couple big chances to kill the game. Instead, they come back and tied it."

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Ryan Callahan and Anisimov scored and Brad Richards had an assist to push his points streak to seven consecutive games. The Rangers have lost two straight at home after their five-game winning streak.

A relatively calm first period gave way to a frenetic second, highlighted by the wild melee after Anisimov's shorthanded goal put the Rangers ahead 2-1. Anisimov's celebratory antics -- he cocked his stick like a rifle and appeared to aim it at Lightning goalie Mathieu Garon -- upset several of the Lightning players, who promptly charged him.

"It was the wrong thing to do," Tortorella said. "I don't blame Tampa at all as far as how they reacted."

Callahan said the 23-year-old Anisimov was remorseful after the game. "I know he's not trying to embarrass the other team or do anything like that," Callahan said. "Just a guy celebrating his goal. Unfortunately, it transpired like that."

The early energy was noticeably different from Monday's sluggish start in the loss to Toronto. The Rangers outshot Tampa Bay 13-7 in the first period and largely controlled the action.

Callahan opened the scoring, snapping a left-wing shot past Garon (28 saves) at 7:49 of the first period. But Tampa Bay came out recharged in the second period. The Lightning tied it at 11:23 of the second when Ryan Malone scored after a giveaway by Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh.

Playing without Sauer, who sat out with a concussion, the Rangers were concerned about how their depth on defense would hold up. For most of the game, other than McDonagh's gaffe, the Rangers' defense did its job. But it faltered down the stretch.

"We got sloppy," Richards said. "They hung around, and sometimes a team like that, it's hard to play against."

Notes & quotes: Lightning wing Marty St. Louis was scratched after getting hit in the face by a puck during the morning skate, snapping a streak of 499 consecutive games played. It was reported that he left the ice bleeding and suffered facial fractures. St. Louis had the third-longest active streak in the league . . . Hall of Famer Mark Messier announced that he will play in the Alumni Game at the Winter Classic on Dec. 31. Messier said he put off shoulder surgery to participate.