Rangers rally in third on goals by K'Andre Miller, Jimmy Vesey to edge Red Wings

Adam Fox made a much welcome return to the Rangers lineup Wednesday against the Detroit Red Wings at Madison Square Garden, but as Fox came back, the Rangers were without forward Kaapo Kakko, who suffered a left leg injury in Monday’s loss to Buffalo.

Adam Fox made a much welcome return to the Rangers lineup Wednesday against the Detroit Red Wings at Madison Square Garden, but as Fox came back, the Rangers were without forward Kaapo Kakko, who suffered a left leg injury in Monday’s loss to Buffalo.

But as they’ve done all season, the Rangers managed to do what they needed to do, regardless of who was in uniform. And in the end, even the NHL’s video review team in Toronto, which hasn’t usually been kind to the Blueshirts this season, worked for them, as they got two third-period calls go in their favor, including one on what turned out to be the winning goal, by Jimmy Vesey.

Vesey batted in his own rebound out of the air after an initial shot from Alexis Lafrenière, with 4:15 remaining to provide the winning margin in the Rangers’ 3-2 victory over the Red Wings, but the goal needed to survive a video review to see if it was knocked in with a high stick or not. Ultimately, the officials in Toronto ruled the goal to be legal, and the Rangers bounced back from the Buffalo loss to post their league-leading 16th win of the season.

The Rangers are 5-0 after a loss this season.

“I’m not gonna lie, I didn’t want to look at the replay,’’ Vesey said when asked if he had doubts about whether his goal would stand. “But my initial reaction was that it was good.’’

Vesey’s goal completed a third-period comeback that started when K’Andre Miller scored on a one-timer blast at 9:14 of the period, taking a pass from Mika Zibanejad and beating goalie Ville Husso to tie the score 2-2. Husso, who had 38 saves, had been a thorn in the Rangers’ side up until that point. But, Miller said, the Rangers knew they just had to keep shooting and eventually they would wear him down.

“Their goalie played unreal tonight,’’ Miller said. “I mean, anytime you put [41] up on a goalie, I think you’re hoping a couple go in. But . . . just our shot volume and making it tough on him, getting in front of his eyes, and making his job hard.’’

Before Miller scored, the Rangers, who trailed 2-1 entering the third period, were in danger of falling further behind, after rookie Will Cuylle was called for a four-minute high-sticking penalty against Detroit’s Lucas Raymond, with 14:27 remaining.

But the play was reviewed and the officials saw that Raymond actually grabbed Cuylle’s stick and played a part in the stick coming up to hit him in the face. The penalty was rescinded.

“I’ve said at times, when video review calls] have gone against us, I think it was right,’’ Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said. “And I think those were the right calls tonight.’’

Leading 3-2 late, the Rangers had to kill a penalty when Vincent Trocheck was called for tripping at 18:04. But Jacob Trouba blocked a centering pass late, then blocked a shot in the final seconds to preserve the win.

In the 10 games that Fox missed with a lower-body injury, following his knee-to-knee collision with Carolina forward Sebastian Aho, the Rangers went 7-2-1.

Fox, who Laviolette had said would not be on any kind of minutes restriction in his first game back, played 21 minutes and 31 seconds in the game. He had five shot attempts, two of which made it on goal.

“It felt great,’’ the Jericho native said. “I just wanted to get by those first couple shifts, and you’re just playing hockey again. It’s nice to be back out there with the guys, and it was definitely nice we got the win, too.’’

After a scoreless first period, Artemi Panarin took a cross-ice pass from Lafrenière and lifted a precise wrist shot inside the near post, over the catching glove of Husso, to give the Rangers the lead, at 4:37 of the second. It was his 12th goal of the season.

But Panarin got sent off for a rare roughing penalty, at 6:54, and Moritz Seider scored on the power play, at 8:43, to tie it at 1-1. Then, 23 seconds later, Robby Fabbri got a wide-open look from the high slot and whipped a wrist shot past Igor Shesterkin (25 saves) to give Detroit a 2-1 lead.

By Colin Stephenson

colin.stephenson@newsday.comColinSNewsday

Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.