Pittsburgh Penguins Knock Out the New York Rangers Advancing to Second Round

The Pittsburgh Penguins eliminated the New York Rangers on Saturday afternoon, four games to one, getting some revenge from two years ago when the Rangers battled back from down three games to one.

The Penguins came into their first round matchup with the Rangers as the hottest team in the National Hockey League since mid-December, when head coach Mike Sullivan took over behind the bench. 

The Penguins, who have lost to the Rangers the last two seasons in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, were able to mount a huge second period to help complete their series victory over New York. 

With the score knotted at two after the opening period at Consol Energy Center, the Penguins were able to put four goals past Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist in the middle frame. Forward Bryan Rust was able to slip a pass from defenseman Trevor Daley past Lundqvist to give the Penguins their first lead of the game, five and a half minutes into the second.

Almost four minutes later, Matt Cullen found the back of the net to extend the lead to 4-2, after Rust was able to battle Derek Brassard and skate into the Rangers zone, dropping the puck to the trailing Cullen. Before the end of the period rookie Connor Sheary and Rust each added another goal past Lundqvist, taking a 6-2 lead into the intermission. 

Antti Raanta replaced Lundqvist to start the third period. Lundqvist allowed 10 goals on 41 shots between games four and five, getting chased in both. In six of his last 16 appearances, he had allowed four or more goals. 

After the goalie change, about five and a half into the final period, Chris Kreider got one back for the Rangers, but that was all they could manage to get by Penguins rookie goalie Matt Murray. Murray turned away 38 Rangers shots, picking up the victory in his third straight start of the playoffs. Since losing to the Washington Capitals on March 1, Murray has won 10 straight. 

Rick Nash gave the Rangers the early 1-0 lead, when he deflected Dan Girardi’s shot past Murray just over one minute into the game. Former Ranger, Carl Hagelin tied it for the Penguins as he drove to the net, firing a Phil Kessel pass by Lundqvist halfway through the opening frame. 

Dominic Moore got the lead back for New York 45 seconds later, but with 8:21 half left in the first, on the power play, Sidney Crosby found Kessel, who put a snap shot over Lundqvist’s blocker for the equalizer. 

Penguins started the series with third string goalie, Jeff Zatkoff in net. Zatkoff became the first Penguins goaltender to get a victory in his postseason debut, in 25 years. Zatkoff went 1-1 in both of his appearances, before Murray stepped in between the pipes as the series shifted to New York, winning all three of his. 

In the opening game, Lundqvist took a stick from teammate Marc Staal, to the eye late in the opening period before giving up a goal and having to be replaced for the start of the second period for precautionary reasons. 

With the victory Saturday afternoon, the Penguins will get some time to rest up before the second round. They will face the winner of the Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers series. Capitals hold a 3-2 lead after the Flyers were able to stave off elimination on Friday night.