Kreider scores tiebreaking goal in 2nd period as Rangers beat Red Wings 4-1

NEW YORK (AP) — Chris Kreider scored the go-ahead goal on the power play late in the second period and the New York Rangers beat the Detroit Red Wings 4-1 on Monday night.

Kreider tipped Mika Zibanejad's shot with 2:55 left in the middle period to snap a 1-1 tie after the teams traded goals in the first. Alexis Lafreniere, Reilly Smith and Zibanejad also scored for the Rangers, and Igor Shesterkin finished with 31 saves.

Dylan Larkin scored for Detroit with 2 seconds left in the first after Lafrieniere opened the scoring for the Rangers with 8:15 to go. Alex Lyon had 24 saves for the Red Wings in his first start of the season.

The Red Wings were playing their first road game. They beat Nashville 3-0 on Saturday after losing their season opener 6-3 to Pittsburgh.

Red Wings forward Patrick Kane, who played 19 games for New York after a heralded trade late in the 2022-23 season, received polite applause from the Madison Square Garden crowd during his first game back with Detroit. Kane assisted on Larkin’s goal for his 814th career assist to pass Mike Modano for second-most among U.S.-born players.

Rangers forward Artemi Panarin, who led with the team with 120 points last season, had three assists and has a team-best seven points — including two goals — in three games.

Shesterkin denied Detroit’s J.T. Compher from in close with 1:58 left in the second period to keep it 2-1. Smith padded the lead at 4:51 of the third, his first goal with the Rangers.

Kreider’s goal was the 307th of his career — third-most in Rangers history behind Rod Gilbert and Jean Ratelle. It was his 111th power-play goal, second-most in franchise history behind Camille Henry’s 116.

The Rangers visit Detroit on Thursday to complete a home-and-home series.

AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL

Detroit Red Wings center Tyler Motte (14) plays the puck against New York Rangers center Adam Edstrom (84) during the second period of a hockey game, Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

Detroit Red Wings center Tyler Motte (14) and New York Rangers center Filip Chytil (72) battle or the puck during the first period of a hockey game, Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin makes a save against Detroit Red Wings defenseman Ben Chiarot during the first period of a hockey game, Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin makes a glove save against the Detroit Red Wings during the second period of a hockey game, Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

New York Rangers left wing Alexis Lafrenière (13) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against the Detroit Red Wings during the first period of a hockey game, Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

New York Rangers left wing Chris Kreider scores a goal against Detroit Red Wings goaltender Alex Lyon (34) during the second period of a hockey game, Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)

NEW YORK (AP) — Turns out, Taylor and Travis like to watch a little baseball, too.

Pop superstar Taylor Swift and her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, were at Yankee Stadium on Monday night for Game 1 of the American League Championship Series between the Cleveland Guardians and New York Yankees.

The famous couple sat together in a suite down the right-field line, in the second row above postseason bunting and a flag commemorating the Yankees' 1932 World Series championship.

Kelce, a Westlake, Ohio, native who went to high school in Cleveland Heights, sported a dark baseball cap with the words Midnight Rodeo on it. Swift also wore a hat on a 50-degree night in the Bronx.

Kelce, who turned 35 on Oct. 5, grew up rooting for Kenny Lofton and Cleveland in the 1990s. Kelce threw a wild ceremonial first pitch before the Guardians' season opener last year.

It was the second major sporting event for Swift and Kelce in New York City over the past five-plus weeks. The couple also sat in a box to watch the men's final at the U.S. Open tennis tournament on Sept. 8 in Queens.

Kelce and the Chiefs, the two-time defending Super Bowl champions, had a bye this weekend after opening the season 5-0. Their next game is Sunday at San Francisco, a rematch of last season's Super Bowl.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Taylor Swift stands as she watches from a suite next to her dad Scott Swift during the first half of an NFL football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the New Orleans Saints Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

FILE - Taylor Swift performs at Wembley Stadium as part of her Eras Tour June 21, 2024, in London. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP, File)

Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift watch Game 1 of the baseball AL Championship Series between the Cleveland Guardians and New York Yankees Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Travis Kelce, right, and Taylor Swift attend Game 1 of the baseball AL Championship Series between the Cleveland Guardians and New York Yankees Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Travis Kelce, right, and Taylor Swift attend Game 1 of the baseball AL Championship Series between the Cleveland Guardians and New York Yankees Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Travis Kelce, right, and Taylor Swift attend Game 1 of the baseball AL Championship Series between the Cleveland Guardians and New York Yankees Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Travis Kelce, right, and Taylor Swift attend Game 1 of the baseball AL Championship Series between the Cleveland Guardians and New York Yankees Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Travis Kelce, top right, and Taylor Swift watch Game 1 of the baseball AL Championship Series between the Cleveland Guardians and New York Yankees Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Travis Kelce, top right, and Taylor Swift watch Game 1 of the baseball AL Championship Series between the Cleveland Guardians and New York Yankees Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)