Derek Stepan out indefinitely with broken ribs after hit in Friday loss

Centers Ryan Spooner and David Krejci scored 2:03 apart late in the third period to rally the Bruins from behind after the Rangers had taken a 3-2 lead with 10:32 left.

Spooner’s power-play goal with 3:46 left to play tied it at 3, then Krejci struck again for the Bruins on a deflected slap shot that beat Henrik Lundqvist with 1:43 remaining.

McIlrath was correct, even if that instigator penalty gave the Bruins a power play (on which they scored the tying goal to make it a 2-2 game) when the Wes McCauley-Chris Rooney refereeing duo somehow failed to assess Beleskey for boarding on the unsafe play that merits review and imposition of supplementary discipline from the NHL Department of Player Safety.

They blew two second-period leads in the second period (one of which was a two-goal lead) on Monday against the Leafs before managing to win in a shootout, but it was Wednesday’€™s game in which they were most fortunate. In addition, the Rangers will be without Derek Stepan for the immediate future as he broke his ribs on blatant late hit from Matt Beleskey midway through the second period. The Bruins weren’t their best Wednesday, but another strong game from backup goaltender Jonas Gustavsson (5-1-0) bailed them out.

-Chicago Blackhawls center C Teuvo Teravainen played for the first time Friday after missing the past three games due to injury.

The Rangers, playing their sixth set of back-to-back games, now face the Flyers on Saturday afternoon at the Garden. McIlrath was banished for 17 minutes: five for fighting, two for instigating and an automatic 10-minute misconduct.

The Rangers, losing for the second straight game, allowing nine goals in the two games, fell to 16-5-2 on the season. “Step’s a crucial part of our team”, Ryan McDonagh said.

Stepan – who has six goals and 12 points, kills penalties and is on the first power-play unit – returned for a few shifts in the second period but not for the third period.

Early in the second period, the Rangers responded extremely well after a poor start in the first period, and scored two goals within the first five minutes of the period.

Rangers coach Alain Vigneault did not use the coach’s challenge. “We’ll have to wait and see”. It’ll be interesting to see.

That is now the Rangers second straight loss, and it was also a pretty costly one with Stepan going down with broken ribs.

NOTES: Just over 40 years ago, these two old rivals stunned the hockey world when the Bruins sent Phil Esposito and Carol Vadnais to the Rangers for Brad Park and Jean Ratelle.

The Stepan injury is the first of any effect for the Rangers, who have lost only four manpower games to injury in their first 23 games.