Penguins Stay Hot; Melt Rangers in OT

It wasn’t all that long ago that the New York Rangers had the Penguins’ number. Especially goalie Henrik Lundqvist.

How times have changed.

Exuding a grit and resilience that’s come to typify their efforts under Mike Sullivan, the Penguins overcame two deficits on Sunday–not to mention tired legs–to beat New York 3-2 in overtime.

Winners of eight out of nine, the piping-hot Pens closed to within three points of the second-place Blueshirts in the Metro Division race. Remarkably, they’ve accomplished the feat while enduring a rash of injuries that would’ve taken down a bull elephant.

Skating before a revved-up crowd at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers started strong. Using his big frame to full advantage, Eric Staal powered past Trevor Daley and steered Jimmy Hayes’ lead pass by Marc-Andre Fleury at 4:19.

The Pens countered. Matt Cullen timed a Derrick Pouliot shot/pass perfectly, jabbing the puck between Henrik Lundqvist’s pads at 15:49 for his 13th goal of the season.

Enjoying his best game since arriving from Carolina at the trade deadline, Staal struck again early in the second period, courtesy of a Bryan Rust turnover and a slick feed from linemate Jesper Fast.

Again the never-say-die Pens rallied. Midway through the period Carl Hagelin turned on the jets and harassed ex-teammate Lundqvist into a turnover. “King Henrik” failed to control Hagelin’s sharp-angle shot. Phil Kessel swooped in and roofed a backhander over the spread-eagled goalie.

Neither team found the range during the final 20 minutes. In the closing seconds Derick Brassard was whistled for his second high-sticking penalty of the period–this time against Ben Lovejoy–to virtually hand the game to the Pens on a platter.

The black and gold nearly blew it. Trying to make the perfect play, Sidney Crosby & Co. wasted the ensuing 4-on-3 advantage in overtime. Worse yet, Kris Letang got marooned on the ice for over three minutes. Thanks to his superb conditioning, “Tanger” managed to keep pace.

Following an astute time out by Sullivan, No. 58 was back on the ice. A good thing, too. With 29.5 seconds left in overtime Letang took a pass from Kessel and lobbed the puck toward the net. The rubber glanced off Crosby and dramatically changed elevation, skittering between Lundqvist’s pads and over the goal line.

“We worked hard for [the second point],” Crosby said from the victorious Penguins’ locker room. “Especially after a pretty emotional game [Saturday], knowing what that meant, to come back and have a good effort and find a way to get two points on a back to back against a good team, it’s nice.”

Kessel Third Star of the Week

Thanks to his recent offensive explosion, Kessel was named NHL Third Star of the Week. The Madison, Wisconsin native tallied seven points (two goals and five assists) over the weekend, including five points during a 7-2 rout of Detroit on Saturday.

Kessel, who’s struggled at times to convert at his customary clip since joining the Pens in a blockbuster trade last summer, ranks fourth on the team in scoring with 54 points. The 28-year-old winger is third in goals (23), behind Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, and tied for third in assists (31).

Since picking up an assist during a comeback victory over the Red Wings on New Year’s Eve, Kessel has 12 goals and 22 assists in his past 39 games.