Kreider scores twice in 3rd as Rangers ice Penguins 4-2
Kreider scored at 11:45 by sliding the puck past goaltender Tristan Jarry with Penguins defenseman Brian Dumoulin draped all over the New York forward in the crease. Kreider then scored his 30th of the season into empty net at 19:10 to seal the win and give the third-place Rangers a 10-point lead over Pittsburgh in the Metropolitan Division.
“That was a tight game, good hockey,″ said Kreider, whose 259 career goals leave him three behind Vic Hadfield for fifth on the all-time Rangers list. ”We wanted to get behind their defense and establish the forecheck. We got pucks and bodies to the net all night.”
Mika Zibanejad and Tyler Motte also scored for the Rangers, who won for the eighth time in their last 10 home games. They are 11-4-0 in their past 15 at Madison Square Garden. Zibanejad’s goal was his 200th with the Rangers.
New York Rangers left wing Chris Kreider (20) celebrates his goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the third period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, March 16, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)
Kings beat Nets to clinch first winning season since 2005-06
NEW YORK (AP) — Domantas Sabonis had 24 points and 21 rebounds, and the Sacramento Kings clinched their first winning season since 2005-06 by beating the Brooklyn Nets 101-96 on Thursday night.
De’Aaron Fox added 18 points, six rebounds and five assists for the Kings, who improved to 42-27, second in the Western Conference. They hadn’t finished above .500 since going 44-38 in 2005-06, the last of eight consecutive playoff appearances under Rick Adelman.
Sabonis had 20 points by halftime and the Kings led by as much as 17, but the Nets made it close.
Mikal Bridges scored 23 points for the Nets, who fell 1 1/2 games behind the New York Knicks for fifth place in the Eastern Conference and are just 1 1/2 ahead of seventh-place Miami as they try to avoid the play-in tournament.
Spencer Dinwiddie added 18 points and Nic Claxton had 14 points and 14 rebounds for the Nets.