Reuters/Los Angeles

Gaborik tipped in his own shot just 27 seconds into the extra session as the Rangers celebrated in front of their home fans and avoided losing their first three games of a campaign in 14 seasons. “We were concerned with the 0-2 start,” New York’s Marc Staal told reporters. “We didn’t like the way we were playing. I think we were a lot better tonight, so if we had lost we would’ve felt better about our effort.”

Prior to his winning contribution, Czech winger Gaborik had helped New York forge a 2-0 lead with a pair of goals in the first period. After the Bruins (2-0-1) had rallied to tie the game in the second, Taylor Pyatt restored New York’s lead before Nathan Horton forced overtime with his snapshot at 15:37 in the third. The goal was Horton’s first in more than a year after he missed half of last season due to a concussion.

“It was good to see us battle back after the start that we had,” said Boston’s Milan Lucic, who scored along with team mate Brad Marchand in the second.

“They were able to get that two-goal lead, and that’s what ended up costing us in the end.”

New York (1-2-0) gained a degree of revenge with the win after suffering a season-opening defeat to Boston on Saturday.

Reining Vezina Trophy winner Henrik Lundqvist also bounced back from a poor start to the season with 26 saves following a game where he was pulled in a loss to Pittsburgh. Tuukka Rask made 29 saves for the Bruins.

Meanwhile James van Riemsdyk could feel the pressure increasing when the Toronto Maple Leafs forward went scoreless his first two games with his new club.

The Pittsburgh Penguins did their best to ease van Riemsdyk’s load. The speedy forward scored twice and added an assist in Toronto’s surprisingly easy, 5-2 win over the Penguins on Wednesday. ‘’Both those goals, I really didn’t have to do too much,’’ van Riemsdyk said.

Not the way the sloppy Penguins were handling the puck.

Van Riemsdyk gave Toronto the lead for good late in the second period when a weak clearing pass by Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin ended up right on van Riemsdyk’s stick at the top of the left circle. The quick shot that followed whizzed over Marc-Andre Fleury’s glove and highlighted a night that sent the Penguins crashing back to earth after rousing opening weekend road wins in Philadelphia and New York.

Clarke MacArthur, Mikhail Grabovski and Tyler Bozak also scored for the Maple Leafs. Nikolai Kulemin added three assists, and James Reimer stopped 28 shots in his first start of the season.

‘’I think we’ve showed we can play the rugged defensive game and tonight we have the ability to score as well,’’ MacArthur said. ‘’If we can find a way to use both things every night, you’ve got a good team and a good chance every night.’’

The victory took some of the sting out of losing forward Joffrey Lupul to a fractured forearm in the second period. The 29-year-old, who signed a five-year contract extension on Sunday, got drilled by a slapshot from teammate Dion Phaneuf and did not return. Lupul will be re-evaluated on Thursday.

‘’It’s tough, but what can you do, you’ve got to move on,’’ MacArthur said.

Something the Penguins are only too happy to do when hockey’s festive return after a nine-month absence quickly turned sour.