First Period:
- Mika Zibanejad (35) Assists: Artemi Panarin (55), Vladimir Tarasenko (26)
Second Period:
- Rickard Rakell (24) Assists: Sidney Crosby (53)
- Tyler Motte (4) Unassisted
Third Period:
Ad
- Jake Guentzel (30) Assists: Sidney Crosby (54), Rickard Rakell (25)
- Chris Kreider (29) Assists: Adam Fox (51), Patrick Kane (32)
- Chris Kreider (30) (Empty Net) Assists: Vincent Trocheck (34), Mika Zibanejad (37)
Three Stars:
- 3: Tyler Motte
- 2: Igor Shesterkin
- 1: Chris Kreider
Stats:
- This was a very solid, mostly 60-minute win for the Rangers. It was a close game, but the Rangers seemed to be the better team most of the night. This was the kind of game and the kind of style that they are going to need to win in the playoffs.
- Another strong game for the fourth line. Tyler Motte was all over the place, inadvertently hurt one of the Pens, got dumped at one point and then scored. It really feels like the Rangers finally have a fourth line that Gerard Gallant can trust.
- He never really exploded, like last year, but Chris Kreider was slow and steady toward getting to 30 goals. For as great as he has been with Mika Zibanejad over the years, I really like him and Vincent Trocheck together as, at least, two thirds of a line for the playoffs. My guess is ultimately that he will start Game 1 next to Mika Zibanejad, but that duo plays a straight ahead style.
- Igor Shesterkin was solid again.
- A game like tonight is how the Rangers are going to have to play, and win, in the playoffs. They limited the Penguins, outside of Crosby’s line, they didn’t take a penalty and Igor Shesterkin was great. It would have been better had they scored on the PP and carried a two-goal lead throughout the game, but it’s probably just as good for them to be resilient and battle back quickly after each Penguin goal. They didn’t need to find a way to win tonight and that is a good step in the right direction.
- They do it again with the Pens on Saturday.