Pittsburgh played the New York Rangers on Saturday, March 16th at the PPG Paints Arena. The Penguins were in hopes of a good victory, and putting in the effort with great comeback goals against New York. However, the Penguins fell behind 7-4 in the third period after they had a 6-3 win to break a four-game skid when they defeated the San Jose Sharks on Thursday. Artemi Panarin scored two goals and recorded three assists to help the Rangers secure their 7-4 victory in Pittsburgh.
Rangers lineup against the Penguins:
Kreider – Zibanejad – Roslovic
Panarin – Trocheck – Lafreniere
Cuylle – Wennberg – Kakko
Vesey – Goodrow – Brodzinski
Lindgren – Fox
Miller – Schneider
Jones – Gustafsson
Shesterkin
Quick
Penguins lineup against the Rangers:
O’Connor – Crosby – Rust
Bunting – Malkin – Rakell
Smith – Eller – Puustinen
Bemstrom – Acciari – Carter
Pettersson – Letang
Graves – Karlsson
Ludvig – Joseph
Jarry
Nedeljkovic
Pittsburgh struck first for the 1-0 lead early at 17:24 of the first period – John Ludvig scored his third goal of the season and his second in the past two games, sending a one-timer through traffic. Kaapo Kakko responded soon after to tie it 1-1 with a one-timer, and Adam Fox stuck in a backhanded shot while falling to his knees in the slot for a 2-1 lead at 16:27. At 7:33, Bryan Rust tied the game back up off a pass by Sidney Crosby above the crease. Rust hit the 20-goal mark for the fifth straight season from a tight angle with a wrist shot below the right circle. Putting New York back in front, Artemi Panarin tapped in a saucer pass at the right post on a 2-on-1 rush.
Lars Eller sent in his 13th goal of the season when he put in a one-timer on a power play from below the right circle at 9:50 of the second. With little time remaining, Artemi Panarin chased down his second goal of the game and his 38th of the season to put the Rangers back on top… Mika Zibanejad extended the lead 5-3 on the power play from the slot at 2:28 of the middle frame.
K’Andre Miller increased New York’s lead to 6-3 on a wrist shot at the left point for his eighth goal of the season. Tristan Jarry had been pulled after the sixth goal from the Rangers. Cutting it to 6-4, Valtteri Puustinen struck his third of the season on a 2-on-1 rush with a one-timer. With only 18 seconds remaining in the final frame, Chris Kreider sent the puck into the empty net for the 7-4 final.
Lars Eller on the Penguins’ loss: “I think everybody was trying to do the right thing and I think we generally competed well today. I think it’s one of our best games in a while, it just felt like we were going from the start. Even when we were down, the feeling was we’re going to come back and we’re going to get this. We just didn’t capitalize on enough chances like they did… we tied it up, we had momentum, and then they get two power plays like that.”
Bryan Rust on losing to the New York Rangers: “They’re a team who’s got a lot of skill, and every time you give them quality looks, they’re probably going to make you pay.”
Notes:
– Both Bryan Rust and Lars Eller had a goal and an assist… Tristan Jarry had allowed six on 23 shots, then was replaced by Alex Nedeljkovic, who made four saves in relief.
– Sidney Crosby recorded one assist, however, he extended his goal drought to 11 straight games.
– The Penguins have 10 goals in their past two after scoring two in their previous four games.
– Both Chris Kreider and K’Andre Miller had a goal and recorded two assists, Adam Fox had a goal and an assist, and Vincent Trocheck recorded two assists. Jonathan Quick made a total of 34 saves for New York.
Kreider played in his 800th NHL game, and his 298 goals are the second-most by an NYR player through their first 800 in the franchise. He trails Jean Ratelle (306).
Miller’s secondary assist on Artemi Panarin’s first goal got him his 100th NHL point. He has 102 points in 279 games – 29 goals and 73 assists.
– In Matt Rempe’s four-game suspension, this is the second game he’s missed.
– Artemi Panarin’s five-point game marked his fifth five-point game in the NHL, and it had been his first since scoring four goals and having one assist on February 11th, 2023 vs. Carolina Hurricanes.
Panarin is the first player in New York Rangers history to reach 90 points in four different seasons, also to do so in three straight seasons. His assist on K’Andre Miller’s goal marked his 500th in the NHL.
