PITTSBURGH — Six days ago, the New York Rangers (2-1-0) dominated the Pittsburgh Penguins (2-1-0) during the second period, the first game of the season for both. The Penguins held the line and won that game 3-0 at Madison Square Garden.
Saturday, the Penguins did not hold. A 1-0 deficit became a 4-1 deficit after the middle 20 minutes, and the issue that plagued Penguins goalie Arturs Silovs throughout his young career was readily apparent.
Silovs allowed a pair of long-range goals to Adam Fox in the second period, and the Penguins couldn’t–or wouldn’t–stay out of the penalty box en route to a 6-1 Rangers win at PPG Paints Arena.
The Penguins’ highlight was the first NHL goal by Ben Kindel at 3:04 of the second period. Kindel was rewarded for a good backcheck when he intercepted a pass at the red line and launched into the offensive zone, whistling a puck past Rangers’ goalie Igor Shesterkin from the right circle.
Kindel’s goal tied the game 1-1, but the Penguins were under siege both at 5v5 and shorthanded for the rest of the period. The Rangers outshot them 14-3 in the second.
The game was the homecoming of coach Mike Sullivan. The former coach of the Penguins, now Rangers’ bench boss, tried to avoid watching the video tribute during the first TV timeout but ultimately succumbed to the crowd’s standing ovation, flashing a brief wave while looking softened by the applause.
Sullivan’s team struck first, notching a shorthanded goal following Sidney Crosby’s turnover in the offensive zone. Mika Zibanejad finished a two-on-one with a one-timer past Silovs.
The Penguins’ energy and effort were present as they outshot New York 9-4 in the first period. Sloppiness and overaggressive puck movement limited their actual scoring chances despite significant offensive zone time.
Eventually, the referees and the Rangers took over as the Penguins were shorthanded for more than six minutes of the second, and started the third period down a man after Penguins rookie defenseman Harrison Brunicke had the unbridled temerity to step into a scrum and get grabbed from the Rangers bench.
Earlier in the period, Kindel was whistled for an ordinary stick check. The penalty cavalcade followed Penguins winger Bryan Rust’s outburst against the refs after it appeared he was pulled down from behind as he chased a loose puck in the offensive zone.
Fox (2) tallied the second Rangers’ goal at 6:06 of the second. His wrist shot from beyond the left circle was untouched but eluded Silovs.
During Kindel’s time in the penalty box, Rangers winger Will Cuyle (1) gained position near the net and deflected a pass from Conor Sheary at 9:25 for a 3-1 lead.
Fox (3) scored the Rangers’ third special teams goal and second power play goal at 16:38 of the second. His snapshot from the blue line glided past defenders and Silovs for a 4-1 Rangers lead.
Midway through the third period, Crosby poked a second-chance rebound through a sprawled Shesterkin, but not all the way across the line. It was that kind of disappointing night for the Penguins.
The Penguins had just 14 shots after 50 minutes and none in a mid-third period power play and finished with just 19, while the Rangers put 30 on Silovs.
Rangers fourth-line winger Taylor Raddish added more insult with a one-timer at 14:12 of the third for the finale on the six-goal outburst.
Penguins defenseman Kris Letang didn’t play the bulk of the third period, leaving after his first shift and did not return.
The Penguins activated Rust before the game. Rust played his first game of the season, leading all Penguins with three shots after the first two periods.
To make room for Rust, the team reassigned Ville Koivunen to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
Tags: New York Rangers Penguins recap Pittsburgh Penguins
Categorized: Penguins Postgame