Rangers beat Penguins in OT, eliminating Pittsburgh in Game 5
NEW YORK – Carl Hagelin scored with 9:08 remaining in the first overtime to send the New York Rangers to the second round and eliminate the Pittsburgh Penguins in five games on Friday night, 2-1.
A hard-working shift from Marty St. Louis dug the puck out to Hagelin, who put it past Marc-Andre Fleury while falling to the ice.
The game was an outstanding goaltending battle between Henrik Lundqvist (37 saves) and Marc-Andre Fleury (34 saves), as both netminders kept the score close with clutch saves in each period.
The Rangers struck at 4 minutes, 23 seconds of the first period after a Nick Spaling tripping penalty.
A high fluttering shot from Dan Boyle at the point hit Marc-Andre Fleury in the sternum. The puck dropped in front of the left skate of Derek Stepan, who kicked it over to his stick and shot it behind Fleury in one motion, before the two Penguin defenders flanking him – Rob Scuderi and Ben Lovejoy – could make a move.
(Not the best shift for Lovejoy, who started the play by failing to clear the puck.)
Both goalies had stellar moments in the second period, with Marc-Andre Fleury stopping multiple Rangers’ chances in close and Lundqvist stopping Patric Hornqvist with his left pad at point-blank range
The Penguins tied the game with 2:37 left in the second on a funky deflection off Spaling. Sidney Crosby sent a pass through the crease that deflected off Lundqvist and then off Steve Downie’s stick before it hit Spaling’s arm and fell into the corner of the goal as he tumbled on top of Lundqvist.
As the NHL’s situation room explained, via Rule 78.4: “If an attacking player has the puck deflect into the net, off his skate or body, in any manner, the goal shall be allowed.”
The intensity in the game was turned up significantly in the third period, when Rangers defenseman Dan Girardi tripped held Crosby’s stick and then reached out with his arm to grab his leg. Crosby tumbled to the ice, earning a tripping call.
The sequence of events sparked the MSG crowd, and one of the loudest “Crosby Sucks” chants of the series.
But Lundqvist was up to the task, stopping two shots during the man advantage and then two more right after it ended.
Both teams had chances in the third, as the Penguins’ line of Evgeni Malkin/Brandon Sutter/Blake Comeau buzzed the Rangers zone – Malkin had his best game of the series, for whatever that’s worth – while Boyle had a golden chance with an open net put couldn’t handle the pass.
The game went to overtime. And that’s where Hagelin ended it.
