First Period:
- Chris Kreider (15) Assists: Vincent Trocheck (15)
Second Period:
- Evgeni Malkin (11) (Power Play) Assists: Sidney Crosby (24), Kris Letang (14)
- Bryan Rust (8) (Power Play) Assists: Pierre-Olivier Joseph (8), Jason Zucker (15)
Third Period:
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- Sidney Crosby (18) Assists: Jake Guentzel (17), Rickard Rakell (9)
- Chris Kreider (16) Assists: Vincent Trocheck (16), Jonny Brodzinski (1)
Stats:
- The Rangers were the better team and pretty much dominated the first 30 minutes or so, but then Pittsburgh turned the tables, won the special teams battle, and won the game.
- You knew that even with how the Rangers were playing that they weren’t going to win this game 1-0. They needed a second goal, hit multiple posts, and were stopped by a strong Tristan Jarry.
- For half the game the Rangers played just about as well as they can play, other than not scoring on the PP, but then things started falling apart. They started taking penalties, the Penguins started to pressure, the Rangers started turning pucks over, missing some coverages and went from one of their best stretches of hockey this season to struggling.
- They did get that second goal, but it came a couple of minutes too late, and after the Penguins had gone up 3-1. They started to come back alive after that goal, but couldn’t get it tied. The lines got all jumbled then as well as they cut down to three lines, but I’m guessing they will revert back for Thursday. That is except Sammy Blais. He took the second penalty and I’m guessing that his third-period benching will carry over to Thursday and that Julien Gauthier will come back in.
- They did get hosed as Zibanejad was taken down on his rush to the net in the last minute, but they had their chances to, at first, build up a lead and then, late, tie it. Jarry was great for the Penguins and did to the Rangers what Igor Shesterkin usually does to other teams. Shesterkin was fine tonight, but Jarry was just a little bit better.
- Overall the Rangers had a bad 10-15 minutes or so and it cost them three goals against. The other 45 minutes or so was solid and should be good enough on most nights to win. It wasn’t tonight, but other than tightening up a bit and staying out of the box, there isn’t a whole lot more the Rangers have to do to win.
- So the winning streak ends at 7 and while I think it’s still too early to really look at the standings in a big way, the Pens jump over them and have two games in hand. The Devils falling down in the standings and the Islanders and Capitals just below them could throw a wrench in it, but these two teams seem destined for each other again in the first round.
- Next up is another grudge match and their last meeting of the year against the Islanders. Then they are off until next Tuesday when the schedule resumes with the Capitals at home and then, somewhat fittingly, a trip to Tampa for their last game of 2022.