Mika Zibanejad, center, is congratulated by teammates after he completed a hat trick Sunday against the Buffalo Sabres. Elsa/Pool Photo via AP
NEW YORK — Mika Zibanejad scored three times for his third hat trick in 22 games and seventh of his career to help lift the New York Rangers past the Buffalo Sabres 6-3 on Sunday night.
Kaapo Kakko added two goals and Kevin Rooney had an empty-netter for the Rangers, who pulled within four points of Boston for the final playoff spot in the East Division.
Adam Fox had three assists and Igor Shesterkin made 31 saves to improve to 4-0-1 in his career against Buffalo.
The Rangers won for the seventh time in their last 10 games and improved to 5-1-1 against the Sabres this season, including 3-0-0 at home. The teams meet again Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden.
Jeff Skinner, Victor Olofsson and Sam Reinhart scored for the Sabres. Dustin Tokarski made 23 saves.
FLYERS 4, DEVILS 3: Claude Giroux scored twice in 22 seconds to force overtime and was one of three Flyers to score in a shootout as Philadelphia beat visiting New Jersey.
The Devils have gone 10 straight games without a win, but did pick up their first point in that stretch.
Giroux and Sean Couturier scored in regulation for the Flyers. Brian Elliott had 29 saves.
Michael McLeod, Miles Wood and Pavel Zach scored for New Jersey, which got 33 saves from Mackenzie Blackwood.
LIGHTNING 4, BLUE JACKETS 3: Victor Hedman scored 10 seconds into overtime to give Tampa Bay a win at home.
Brayden Point finished with three assists, and Ondrej Palat had a goal and two assists for Tampa Bay, which moved to within a point of Florida for second place in the Central Division. Tampa Bay has played one less game than the Panthers.
NOTES
BLACKHAWKS: Chicago announced a three-year contract extension with Riley Stillman, just two weeks after the 23-year-old defenseman was acquired in a multiplayer deal with Florida.
The contract runs through the 2023-24 season and carries an annual cap hit of $1.35 million.
The Blackhawks traded forward Lucas Wallmark and defenseman Lucas Carlsson to the Panthers on April 8 for Stillman, forward Brett Connolly, the rights to forward Henrik Borgström and a seventh-round pick in this year’s NHL draft.
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