In New York, Mika Zibanejad scored at 16:05 of the third period to give the Rangers a 4-2 lead over the visiting Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday night. 
The Rangers needed that goal because the Canucks replied with a marker from Elias Pettersson just 10 seconds later to shave the advantage to 4-3.
Igor Shesterkin, who made 22 saves om the night, made that thin margin hold up for the 4-3 win.
The Rangers improved to 29-14-8.
K’Andre Miller picked up three assists for New York.
“To be honest, it feels a little bit like last year with that type of belief,” Miller said. “Obviously, not winning in the prettiest ways all the time, but just finding a way, sticking it out to the last second and finding a way to win, really.”
The Rangers took a 2-0 lead in the first period, and lead throughout the match but the Canucks kept it close,
Chris Kreider opened the scoring in the first period off a brilliant feed from Vincent Trocheck skating down the right side.
“I didn’t even know he was with me, I thought it was just a 1-on-1 for the majority of that rush,” Trocheck said. “Last second, I see him beat his guy to the back post. I thought I was going to shoot and then saw him wide open. It’s nice to have him streaking down the wing at all times.”
For Kreider, it was his 250th career NHL goal.
Filip Chytil scored in his fifth straight game to give the Rangers a 2-0 advantage in the first period.
“I love scoring goals,” Chytil said. “It’s a great feeling, but it’s a great feeling also because we are winning the games and it’s helping the team get the points. That’s what is most important and what I like the most about it.”
Vancouver got one back with a goal from Conor Garland at 17:36 of the first to send the game to the middle frame, 2-1m to New York.
Vancouver dropped to 20-27-4.
“I don’t think we were ready to play,” Vancouver coach Rick Tocchet said. “I know we had the shot volume down for them, but they’re a fast team. But just some guys weren’t ready to play tonight.”
Kaapo Kakko worked the puck behind the Canucks net to find Chytil.
“Kaapo did a great job behind the net, gave it to me in front, and I just fake shot, put it on the backhand,” Chytil said. “Probably the player who should be with me was just stuck there when I faked the shot, and then it was almost an empty net.”
In the second period, Alexis Lafreniere scored in his second straight game to give the Rangers a 3-1 lead at 6:23
Jacob Trouba had two assists in the win, including the primary on the Lafreniere goal.
The Canucks replied once again, this time with a strike from Vasily Podkolzin to cut the Rangers advantage to 3-2 headed to the third.
“We’re looking for the result, we want to score the goal, but there’s a lot more to scoring a goal,” Tocchet said. “It could be chipping a body. It could be winning a battle. It could be boxing a guy out. We want to go A-to-Z too quick. We’ve got to go through the progression, and tonight it showed that if we don’t value certain plays, they’re going to be tough games to win. You’re always going to play catch-up.”
For Podkolzin, it was his first NHL goal.
J.T. Miller kicked in an assist for the Canucks for his 500th career NHL point.
“We made a push in the third, we made it a close game,” Pettersson said.
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Spencer Martin made 17 saves in the Vancouver loss.
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