Rangers Beat Pens In OT (Twice)

Years from now there will be a trivia question. Who is the only team in hockey history to score two goals in OT in a playoff game? That's what happened last night as the Rangers stunned the Pens before a packed crowd in the CONSUL Energy Center going one up in the playoff series. It was a heck of a hockey game. In fact it was three , maybe four, hockey games.

The first period was all Rangers, taking a two goal lead on goals by Pouliot, (3) and Richards, (3) and out shooting the Pens 13-8. The second belonged to the Pens, tying the game on goals by Stempniak, (2) and Neal, (2) and out shooting the Rangers 15-4. The third belonged to the fans in an exiting scoreless back and forth period where the Pens out shot the Rangers 12-8. The OT belonged to the ages as the Rangers out shot the Pens 2-1 and that one was the difference as Brassard scored his first of the playoffs.

Of course it wasn't easy. Brassard's game winner was waved off so Pouliot made sure with the punctuation mark to end any and all discussions. Pouliot, who has been criticized in this space, was the star of the game. His first goal was a thing of beauty and even though his second goal didn't count his perseverance and grittiness was evident all night. Lundqvist was number two star with 34 saves and number three was Brassard with the game winner. Kudos to the defense which was great and monster on ice numbers were put up by Staal, 26:03, McDonagh, 23:49, Stralman, 22:59 and Girardi, 20:51, the new four horsemen.

Of course the Ranger power play was awful again going 0-4 and now sits at 3-33 in the playoffs. Maybe we don't need a power play. Maybe we should decline the penalties. Yes, Rick Nash did not score a goal but neither did Crosby and neither did Malkin. So I'll take that trade off any time. So the Rangers now have home ice advantage and the Pens will come out swarming Sunday night. Keep it cool, keep it consistent and remember one shift at a time.

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