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NEW YORK -- All it took was one timely save and one fortunate bounce, and suddenly the New York Rangers were on their way to a comeback victory. J.T. Miller scored twice, including the game-winner with four minutes remaining in the third period, and Henrik Lundqvist made 34 saves as the Rangers rallied from a 2-0 deficit to beat the Nashville Predators 4-3 at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night.
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The win was the Rangers' fourth straight.
Cody McLeod and Calle Jankrok put the Predators ahead 2-0 with first- and second-period goals, and Ryan Johansen was sprung for a breakaway that could have put the Predators ahead by a likely insurmountable three goals.
But Lundqvist denied the Johansen chance and, about a minute later, Michael Grabner cut the lead to 2-1 after a pass by Predators defenseman Matt Irwin bounced off a referee's skate and led to Kevin Hayes teeing up Grabner for his 26th goal of the season.
"They got some fortuitous bounces tonight," Predators coach Peter Laviolette said. "One of the goals was off the referee's skate, comes out to the middle and it's in the back of the net... they got some bounces that went their way."
The Rangers would score three more goals before Roman Josi made it a one-goal game with 2:01 remaining but it was too little, too late for Nashville.
"Everyone is aware if we get to 3-0 it's a lot different game," Miller said. "(Lundqvist) brought his 'A' game again tonight."
"The game is real simple," Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said. "It's 2-0 and he has two key saves to make and he makes them. You talk about timely saves -- that's what it was right there."
Lundqvist also made a stop on Craig Smith about 10 seconds before Grabner scored, which jump-started the comeback. He also caught a break when Mike Fisher missed an open net in the final seconds.
"There are stretches where he is going to bury that and stretches where he going to miss the net -- that's hockey," Lundqvist said. "The last couple games, we've had some good bounces go our way. We'll take this one."
Hayes -- who had three assists -- set up Miller's first goal that tied the score with 5:02 remaining in the second period. Chris Kreider put the Rangers ahead for good at 5:36 of the third period when Mats Zuccarello's knee-high rip toward the net ricocheted off Kreider and past goaltender Jusse Saros, who made 26 saves.
"They have a lot of team speed," Laviolette said. "They're constantly making sure you have them in check. I actually think it takes a bit away from you offensively because the more you press and something turns over, the more they're willing to fly, so it's a dangerous group they have."
Miller's second goal was yet another bounce in the Rangers favor, as Ryan McDonagh sent the puck toward the net, where it clipped Miller, then a Predators defender and then deflected into the net to make it 4-2.
Josi's late goal was the Predators' second power-play goal of the night but Fisher's inability to tie it doomed the Predators, who never seemed to regained their footing after Grabner's goal.
"I felt like we had good speed and good energy throughout the game, but sometimes all it takes is confidence," Lundqvist said. "We gained some. They maybe took a step back after we scored the first one and it gave us an opportunity to control the play a little bit more. Going into the third, we were a confident group. We believe in each other and in our system and we know we can strike at any moment. We have good skaters that can make big plays as well. You have to trust each other in this group going into the third and we did."
The Predators (26-20-8) have alternated wins and losses over their past eight games and slipped into the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference.
The Rangers have won three straight at home after going through a 1-5-0 stretch at MSG.
"Now we've got some confidence going at home and we've played some good games on the road, so we have to continue that," McDonagh said.
NOTES: Predators D PK Subban, D Roman Josi, D Mattias Ekholm and D Ryan Ellis -- the team's top-four defensemen -- were in the lineup together for just the 24th time in 54 games. ... Predators LW Harry Zolnierczyk (upper body) was placed on injured reserve Tuesday. The team recalled LW Pontus Aberg from AHL Milwaukee in response and put him in the lineup against the Rangers. ... The Predators scratched D Brad Hunt, D Anthony Bitetto and C Colton Sissons. ... Rangers D Dan Girardi (ankle) did not play. He is listed as day-to-day. ... Rangers D Adam Clendening played for the first time since Jan. 25. ... Rangers RW Brandon Pirri and LW Matt Puempel were healthy scratches.
