Second Period Blitz Sees Penguins Blow By Rangers

Penguins Score Three Times in 99 Seconds to Down Rangers

Tonight’s game against the Penguins started a three game in four night stretch for the New York Rangers, which also includes the Capitals and Islanders. This tough stretch did not start well.

The first period had some long stretches of open play and did not see many quality scoring chances, but did see a lot of hitting. The Penguins had 10 hits, which was dwindled by the 17 hits the Rangers had. This sort of physical play was dictated early on when Dylan McIlrath laid a huge hit on Tom Kuhnhackl. McIlrath and Tanner Glass were both credited with 4 hits.

The best chance of the period was by Nick Bonino, but he was robbed by Henrik Lundqvist with this dynamite save.

The second period started how the first ended, with more end to end action. Both teams had chances, but Lundqvist and Marc-André Fleury were up to the challenge. The first whistle of the second occurred during a strange moment when Lundqvist intentionally knocked off the net to get a whistle. He was visibly upset he didn’t get a whistle after colliding with McDonagh in front of his net. That power play was short lived. Not because of a Penguins goal, but because of a slash by Kessel on Stalberg.

The Rangers eventually opened the scoring, as Kreider beat Fleury short side. It was a goal Fleury definitely wishes he had back. However, that lead did not last long, as the Penguins lit the lamp three times in a minute and thirty-nine seconds. First, Crosby banked one off Lundqvist after a weird carom off the post.

21 seconds later, Malkin fired a shot at net, which was blocked, but came right back out to him and he made sure he did not have to handle the puck again that shift, as he rifled it past Lundqvist to give the Penguins the lead. To finish off the scoring spree, Hornqvist deflected a Kessel shot top shelf. The end of the period came like a receding high tide for the Rangers, with the wreckage being a 2 goal deficit for the Blueshirts.

More from Rangers News

• Blake Wheeler’s Broadway Calling: Why He Chose the Rangers
• Rangers’ Playoff Redemption Recipe: Grit and Fresh Hopes
• Brennan Othmann and Will Cuylle Set to Shine in the NHLPA Rookie Showcase
• Chris Kreider has had quite the Summer
• Andy Hosler Takes Helm as Head Athletic Trainer for the New York Rangers, Succeeding Jim Ramsay

The teams that hit the ice for the third period seemed drastically different from the first two periods. For one, Henrik Lundqvist was replaced by Antti Raanta. Alain Vigneault confirmed after the game that Lundqvist was replaced due to neck spasms, but he does not believe it to be serious.

But it wasn’t only the goalie who changed, but the open ice and end to end action was exchanged for dump and chase and neutral zone play. The second period saw 29 shots on goal. The third: only 9. The Penguins stymied the Rangers attack, allowing only 5 shots on net.

Next: Eric Staal is All Over the Place

In the end, the Rangers were not able to muster a comeback. Kessel tallied an empty net goal for the Penguins and a 4-1 win. They were outworked and out-hustled by the Penguins tonight and face a tall task in Washington tomorrow.