Letang’s OT winner lifts Penguins by Rangers 3-2

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Kris Letang’s power-play purpose 1:38 into extra time lifted the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 3-2 win over the New York Rangers on Sunday.

Letang’s ninth purpose of the season got here after New York’s Artemi Panarin was known as for tripping Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin early within the additional interval. Letang’s blast from the purpose helped the Penguins strengthen their maintain on the primary wild-card spot within the Japanese Convention.

Jason Zucker scored for the ninth time in eight video games for Pittsburgh and Rickard Rakell added his twenty third. Tristan Jarry made 27 saves because the Penguins improved to 3-0-1 throughout a five-game homestand.

Barclay Goodrow picked up his eleventh purpose of the season for New York and Chris Kreider’s purpose halfway via the third interval tied it. Jaroslav Halak made 32 saves for the Rangers, together with a glove save on Alex Nylander to snuff out a 2-on-1 break with lower than a minute to go in regulation.

The Penguins have proven indicators of late of enjoying with the sort of consistency that is eluded them for lengthy stretches throughout a wildly uneven season. Pittsburgh is 7-1-1 since a humbling 7-2 loss to Edmonton on Feb. 23.

The NHL’s oldest crew seemed decidedly contemporary regardless of its third recreation in lower than 72 hours. A day after dominating hapless Philadelphia, the Penguins dictated the tempo for a lot of the primary two intervals towards the Rangers, who have been enjoying their third recreation in 4 days, all on the highway.

New York took a collection of penalties early within the first interval, and Rakell’s laser from the left circle throughout a two-man benefit gave the Penguins the lead 6:03 into the sport.

The Rangers tied it slightly over 4 minutes later when Goodrow completed off considered one of New York’s few alternatives to create sustained strain by flicking in a shot from simply outdoors the crease, a purpose arrange by a deft drop go in tight area by Jimmy Vesey.

Zucker, whose relentless power has been a catalyst for his crew’s current uptick in play, acquired a lucky bounce when his shot from the purpose that seemed to be heading broad as a substitute struck Zibanejad’s skate and zipped previous Halak to place Pittsburgh up 2-1 simply over a minute into the second interval.

The depth ramped up instantly. Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba hit Nylander with a shoulder to the chest at close to full velocity. The collision evoked recollections of a success by Trouba on Sidney Crosby throughout final yr’s playoffs that compelled the Penguins star to overlook two video games with a concussion in a collection Pittsburgh would go on to lose in extra time of Recreation 7.

The hit and the aftermath appeared to present the Rangers a welcome jolt and New York sprung to life, notably within the third interval.

The Rangers tilted the ice closely of their favor over the ultimate 20 minutes, and Kreider evened the sport on the finish of a sequence that started with New York’s Vincent Trocheck hitting Malkin within the again within the Rangers’ zone, resulting in a transition that ended with Kreider on their lonesome within the slot, giving him loads of room to tie it.

UP NEXT

Rangers: Host Washington on Tuesday night time to open a five-game homestand that features two towards Pittsburgh later within the week.

Penguins: Host Montreal on Tuesday night time within the finale of a five-game homestand earlier than heading to New York.