Rick Nash scores twice as Rangers extend win streak to six

This is how well the streaking Rangers are executing their game plans: They did exactly what they had discussed on the power-play goal that proved to be the game-winner in their sixth straight victory, a 4-2 decision over the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday at the Garden.

With the score tied at 2 closing in on the final minute of the second period, Rick Nash was lurking at the right post. Brady Skjei, along the left wall, saw him and lasered a perfect pass that Nash tipped past former Rangers goaltender Cam Talbot at 18:53 for a 3-2 lead.

Before the game, “Brady and I talked about it,” said Nash, who also scored on a two-on-one with Kevin Hayes in the first period, “and we knew there was going to be a chance it would be open. You try to build a wall with your skates and stick and hope it hits something. We know Cam pretty well. He challenges hard and leaves that back door open.”

Nash’s goal, his sixth of the season and fifth in the last seven games, was the second power-play goal of the period. The first came at 15:10 and featured the offensive wizardry and awareness of Kevin Shattenkirk and a quick finish from Pavel Buchnevich, who scored his eighth goal, matching his total from 41 games last season.

“Pavel was coming off the bench and I could see him out of the corner of my eye,” said Shattenkirk, who was near the left boards, having taken a seam pass from Mats Zuccarello, and found Buchnevich between the circles. “I knew he was going to have a good one-timer. When you can go seam and then back through the seam, teams really can’t defend that.”

It was the 12th assist for Shattenkirk, whose point streak is 3-4-7 in seven games.

Fact is, not many teams have been able to defend the Rangers’ new-look power play, which is ranked fourth in the NHL and rescued them when the Oilers pressed late in the first and at the beginning of the second.

“The second period was a bit tough for us,” Nash said, “until we got those two power plays.” They were triggered by a penalty by Brad Malone for clearing the puck over the glass and Patrick Maroon’s needless elbow to Ryan McDonagh’s head in the Oilers’ zone.

Each team scored in the first period. Jesse Puljujarvi, in his first game of the season, tied it after Skjei and Buchnevich couldn’t clear the puck along the wall. From the left circle, Puljujarvi’s quick 20-foot shot beat Henrik Lundqvist far side at 16:26.

Steven Kampfer’s hook on Zach Kassian gave the Oilers (6-9-1) a power play at 9:13 of the second period and Connor McDavid, waiting at the right post, snapped a loose puck under Marc Staal and past Lundqvist at 10:06. It was his seventh goal of the season and 19th point.

Lundqvist, who won his sixth straight start, stopped all seven shots he faced in the third and finished with 27 saves. Michael Grabner scored an empty-netter to seal it.

The Rangers, who have scored at least three goals in 10 of the last 12 games and are 7-4-2 at home, leave Tuesday for a two-game road trip to Chicago and Columbus.

“There’s no doubt we’re executing better,” coach Alain Vigneault said. “With that execution, it doesn’t lead to costly mistakes. Our last 10 games are very good, one of the best in the NHL right now.”