Rangers shut down Penguins

Henrik Lundqvist became the fifth NHL goalie to start a career with four 20-win seasons, and the host New York Rangers turned their struggling power play into a plus in a 4-0 victory over the slumping Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday night.

Lundqvist (20-11-3) made 27 saves for his first shutout of the season and 18th overall. He is the fourth Rangers goalie to post four consecutive 20-win seasons.

The Rangers, who were 1-for-17 with the man advantage during a 1-3-1 slide, got power-play goals from Nigel Dawes and defenseman Paul Mara and jumped over idle New Jersey and Philadelphia to regain first place in the Atlantic Division, a position they held all season until last weekend.

Chris Drury sealed it with a third-period goal, and Scott Gomez added a short-handed tally into an empty net with 3:11 left.

The Penguins, meanwhile, are in a free-fall. The defending Eastern Conference champions have dropped five straight, six of seven, and seven of nine to fall below the playoff cutoff halfway through the season.

Sidney Crosby was held without a point for the third straight game, and Evgeni Malkin -- the NHL scoring leader -- has only two assists in seven games.

Lundqvist tallied his ninth win over Pittsburgh in 13 games. He stopped all 12 shots in the Penguins' power-play filled first period and eight more in the second.

LATE SUNDAY

STARS 3, CANUCKS 2 (SO): Rookie James Neal scored the winning goal in the fifth round of the shootout for visiting Dallas.

Ryan Kesler put the Canucks ahead in the fourth round, but Mike Modano tied it with a shot that trickled in off Jason LaBarbera's glove. After Marty Turco stopped Alex Burrows' deke, Neal beat LaBarbera with shot past the blocker.

NOTES

INJURY REPORT: The injury- riddled Colorado Avalanche will be without forward Ian Laperriere and defenseman Adam Foote when they travel to Nashville for a game against the Predators tonight.

Foote sustained a triceps injury Sunday night in a game against Minnesota. Laperriere has a stiff back and is listed as day-to-day.

* Sabres captain Craig Rivet is ready to return after missing nearly a month with a shoulder injury, but forward Maxim Afinogenov is out indefinitely after hurting his groin last weekend.

* The Columbus Blue Jackets placed defenseman Rostislav Klesla on injured reserve because of a lower body injury. He could be sidelined up to four weeks.

* Philadelphia Flyers right wing Joffrey Lupul will miss at least two weeks with a pulled abdominal muscle he sustained Friday, and backup goaltender Antero Niittymaki will miss at least a week with a strained a groin muscle he sustained Saturday.