The Rangers scored three times in a four-minute span of the second period en-route to a 4-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins Saturday afternoon in Game Two of their first-round playoff series at the CONSOL Energy Center, evening the best-of-seven at one game apiece.
Games Three and Four will be played at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday and Thursday next week, with both games starting at 7:00 PM.
Derick Brassard and J.T. Miller fueled the Rangers offense in the Game Two victory. Brassard scored a goal and added two assists while Miller had three assists–all in the second period.
Henrik Lundqvist was back between the pipes for the Rangers after suffering an eye injury in the 5-2 Game One loss to the Penguins on Wednesday. Lundqvist, who played only one period in the series opener after Marc Staal’s stick accidentally slipped through his face mask, showed no ill affects from the injury finishing with 29 saves on Saturday–including terrific stops on both Kris Letang and Patric Hornqvist in the scoreless first period.
Pittsburgh once again started Jeff Zatkoff in goal with Marc-Andre Fleury still sidelined following a concussion suffered late in the regular season. He stopped a pair of Ranger breakaways–one by Derek Stepan in the first period and the other by Rick Nash at the start of the second before the Rangers got to him late in the middle stanza.
Trailing 1-0 the Rangers began to turn the game’s momentum in their favor the shift after Lundqvist made an outstanding save through traffic on a Chris Kunitz snipe from right wing at 4:36. First the Dominic Moore-centered fourth line established extended offensive-zone time then the Brassard line pinned Pittsburgh deep in their own end, ultimately drawing the Rangers first power play of the afternoon at 8:47.
Though New York did not score on that man advantage the Rangers kept up the heat on Pittsburgh, and finally broke through to tie the game at 12:38. Brassard won an offensive zone face off and Miller followed with an alert pass across the crease to a wide-open Keith Yandle, who buried his first goal of the post-season and tied the game, 1-1.
Just 18 seconds later Miller made a terrific stretch pass from the left wing boards to a streaking Brassard flying up right wing at the Penguins blue line. Brassard collected the puck, dashed around Pens defenseman Olli Maatta and snapped a forehand finish behind Zatkoff to give the Rangers their first lead of the series, 2-1.
Pittsburgh’s Mike Sullivan used his coach’s challenge at that point, contending that Brassard was offsides on the play, but video review upheld the on-ice call that Brassard was–just barely–onside and his first goal of the playoffs was counted.
Rookie defenseman Brady Skjei also earned an assist on the goal, his first career NHL post-season point. He had also gone without a point in seven regular season games with the Rangers this year.
Lundqvist made a brilliant–and timely–save three minutes after Brassard’s goal to keep his team ahead. Sidney Crosby sent a long to pass to teammate Bryan Rust–who had just exited the penalty box–which resulted in a clean breakaway. Lundqvist, though, held his ground and stoned Rust one on one; at 15:43 and shortly after the Rangers grabbed a 3-1 lead on a Mats Zuccarello goal.
Again it was Miller making a sweet pass to pick up the primary assist, dishing the puck through the slot from left to right, where Zuccarello snapped one into the back of the net, his first goal of the post-season.
It didn’t take long for the Rangers to add to their lead in the third period. The Rangers went to work on the forecheck on an early shift with Brassard causing a turnover in front of the Penguins net and Chris Kreider cashing in by snapping a shot past Zatkoff just 39 seconds into the period to make it 4-1 New York.
Pittsburgh had scored first on a Phil Kessel power play goal–after a simply gorgeous passing sequence with teammates Trevor Daley and Nick Bonino 3:21 into the second period. What was basically a three-on-one was no-contest for a sprawling Lundqvist, who nonetheless was extremely sharp in returning to the lineup after Wednesday’s injury to his eye.
Kessel scored another power play goal–this one on a 4-on-3 advantage–5:30 into the third period which cut New York’s lead to 4-2. Evgeni Malkin assisted on the goal in his return to the Penguins lineup after a 16-game absence due to an upper body injury.
Dylan McIlrath made his NHL playoff debut for New York, playing for the injured Dan Girardi.
Jim Cerny
BlueshirtsUnited.com
(Reprinted with permission of New York Rangers)
