Crosby Leads Penguins To 4-3 Win Over Rangers In Shootout
NEW YORK (AP) — Sidney Crosby had a goal and an assist in regulation and then got the clinching goal in the shootout to lift Pittsburgh to a 4-3 win over the New York Rangers on Friday night, snapping the Penguins' four-game skid.
Jake Guentzel and Bryan Rust also scored for Pittsburgh, and Matt Murray stopped 30 shots for his 29th win of the season. With the win, the Penguins topped their point total last season en route to winning the Stanley Cup.
Chris Kreider tied the score with 11.6 seconds left in the third period to force overtime. Nick Holden had a goal and an assist, Rick Nash also scored and J.T. Miller added two assists for the Rangers. Henrik Lundqvist finished with 32 saves as New York fell to 0-5-3 at home since beating Washington on Feb. 19.
Phil Kessel also scored in the tiebreaker for the Penguins, and Murray stopped Mika Zibanejad and Mats Zuccarello.
The Penguins improved to 5-1-2 in their past eight road games and secured a winning road record away from home for the 11th consecutive season.
Guentzel, back after missing the previous four games with a concussion, tallied a power-play goal to open up the scoring late in the first period. Crosby assisted on the play and passed Jaromir Jagr to claim sole possession of second place on Pittsburgh's all-time assists list with 641.
Lundqvist, winless in his first three appearances after missing eight games with a hip strain earlier this month, looked sharp early on as he stopped 14 of 15 shots in the first period.
However, Crosby banked a shot off Lundqvist's mask from behind the goal line early in the second period to give Pittsburgh a 2-0 lead with his league-leading 43rd goal.
Holden's power-play goal with 27 seconds left in the second pulled the Rangers within one with his career-high 11th.
Rust got his 14th of the season 6:46 into the third to give Pittsburgh a 3-1 lead. Ian Cole picked up his 21st assist on the score.
Nash pulled the Rangers back within one just 2:14 later, scoring his 23rd of the season.
Rangers captain Ryan McDonagh did not play and missed his second contest of the season. Before the game, Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said it was "nothing serious."
The Penguins and Rangers will meet again in the regular-season finale April 9 at Madison Square Garden.
NOTES: Holden participated in his 299th career NHL game and is one of four Rangers skaters to have played in every game of the season. ... Rangers F Jimmy Vesey was a healthy scratch and missed his second game of the season. ... The Rangers scratched D Adam Clendening, F Tanner Glass, D Steven Kampfer and F Brandon Pirri. ... Penguins D Ron Hainsey returned to the lineup after missing the previous seven games. ... Pittsburgh C Evgeni Malkin missed his eighth consecutive game with a shoulder injury. ... Penguins F Carl Hagelin did not play for the 11th straight game due to a lower-body injury.
UP NEXT
Penguins: Host Carolina on Sunday.
Rangers: Host Philadelphia on Sunday.
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