Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Phil Kessel scored the game-winner in the shootout as the Boston Bruins held off the New York Rangers, 4-3, in the opener of a home-and-home set at TD Banknorth Garden.

Chuck Kobasew scored twice while Marco Sturm had a goal and an assist for the Bruins, who had dropped three of four coming into the game. Tim Thomas finished the game with 25 saves, including stopping both shooters he faced in the shootout.

"When we fell down, 3-2, we stayed right at them and didn't let that goal discourage us," said Boston coach Claude Julien.

Scott Gomez and Jaromir Jagr each had a goal and two assists while Henrik Lundqvist finished the game with 36 saves for the Rangers, who have dropped two of their last three and seven of nine overall in the month of January.

"We came back in the third," said Jagr. "Tough goal to tie the game with seven minutes to go on the power play. We had some chances. I would like to take two (points) home but one is better than nothing and tomorrow we have to make sure we win."

In the second round of the shootout, Kessel skated in on net and slipped a low shot between the pads of Lundqvist.

Thomas then made a body save on Petr Prucha's wrister before Zdeno Chara won the game with a blistering slap shot that beat Lundqvist cleanly.

The teams will meet up again at Madison Square Garden on Sunday.

Trailing, 2-1, to start the third period, the Rangers scored a pair of goals to take a 3-2 lead.

Three and a half minutes in, Chara had the puck along the right boards, but was stripped by Jagr, who skated out front and went from the backhand to the forehand before tucking the puck behind Thomas from the right side of the net.

On the power play, New York took the lead at the 8:08 mark of the frame. Gomez had the puck along the deep right boards and sent a backhand pass out front to Sean Avery, who held the puck for a second and snapped it into the left corner of the net.

Boston, though, tied the game a bit over a minute later. Sturm received an outlet pass and flew through the defense. He got two shots off from down low that Lundqvist made saves on, but Kobasew followed up and chipped the puck into the net.

The Bruins had a golden opportunity to win the game in overtime as Jagr was called for interference with two minutes left. Boston peppered Lundqvist with shots from all angles, but the goaltender came up with several nice saves to force the shootout.

The Rangers grabbed a 1-0 lead 6:36 into the first period as Gomez skated down the left wing, faked a shot and then slid the disc between the pads of Thomas for his 11th goal of the year.

Boston, though, tied the game with 4:24 left in the opening frame. Sturm had the puck at the left boards and threw it out front where the puck hit off a Ranger defender and squeaked past Lundqvist.

The Bruins took a 2-1 lead with a power-play goal in the second period. Chara sent a lead pass to Kobasew, who got behind the defense and was dragged to his knees, but he still got a shot off and it beat Lundqvist to the left corner with 4:08 left in the second.

"I snuck in behind the defense, lost and edge or got tripped up not quite sure," said Kobasew about the goal. "I got a shot off while I was on my knee and fortunately, it went in."