Michael Grabner leads Rangers past Oilers

EDMONTON, Alberta — Michael Grabner scored twice, Antti Raanta stopped 38 shots, and the New York Rangers beat the Edmonton Oilers 3-1 on Sunday night.

Dan Girardi also scored to help the Rangers win for the seventh time in eight games — including two victories against the Oilers.

Andrej Sekera scored for Edmonton and Cam Talbot finished with 24 saves. The Oilers have lost three straight to fall to 2-5-1 since starting the season 7-1-0.

Grabner got New York on the scoreboard just 1:20 in, getting to a big rebound and scoring his ninth of the season. It was the fifth time in seven games the Oilers allowed a goal in the first two minutes.

Girardi made it 2-0 with 6:42 left in the first as the Rangers had an extra attacker on for a delayed penalty and the defenseman redirected Kevin Hayes' pass past Talbot from in front of the net.

Edmonton pulled within one with 1:15 left in the opening period when Connor McDavid spotted a pinching Sekera swooping past the Rangers net and he deflected a shot past Raanta.

Grabner scored again with five minutes left in the second when Ryan Nugent-Hopkins gave up the puck at the New York blue line. Talbot made the initial stop, but Grabner was able to swat in the rebound for his 10th.

In 16 games this season, Grabner has eclipsed the nine goals he had in 80 games with Toronto last year.

Edmonton had good pressure in the third period, but Raanta shut the door.

NOTES: It was the second and final meeting of the season between the two teams. The Rangers won 5-3 in the previous meeting at home on Nov. ... Raanta got the start in net for the Rangers after Henrik Lundqvist played the night before in a 4-1 win at Calgary. ... The Rangers were without F Chris Kreider, who suffered an upper-body injury against the Flames. F Pavel Buchnevich also missed the game. ... New York already has 10 players with at least 10 points. ... F Zack Kassian returned to Edmonton's lineup after missing the last three games with an injury. ... Oilers F Benoit Pouliot played his 500th NHL game.

UP NEXT

Rangers: At Vancouver on Tuesday night in the third game of a four-game trip.

Oilers: At Anaheim on Tuesday night in the opener of a three-game trip.