Blue Line Station
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Rangers win 4-3 in OT to advance to the 2nd Round

By Steve Paulus

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 15: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Igor Shesterkin #31 of the New York Rangers shake hands following the Rangers overtime victory in Game Seven of the First Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 15, 2022 in New York City. The Rangers defeated the Penguins 4-3 in overtime to move on to round two. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 15: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Igor Shesterkin #31 of the New York Rangers shake hands following the Rangers overtime victory in Game Seven of the First Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 15, 2022 in New York City. The Rangers defeated the Penguins 4-3 in overtime to move on to round two. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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The New York Rangers are astounding. For the third straight game, the Rangers came from behind to win, rebounding from a 3-1 series deficit for the third time in franchise history.

The Rangers were outplayed for long periods by the Penguins who poured 45 shots at Igor Shesterkin, who was fabulous.   The Rangers’ netminder was back in his Hart Trophy form, saving the team repeatedly in all four periods.  Facing 22 high danger scoring chances to only six for New York, Shesterkin was the prime reason the Blueshirts won.


The other reason was the fact that the Ranger veterans stepped up and came through when they had to.  Chris Kreider got an early goal to give the Rangers the lead, his fifth goal of the series.


Mika Zibanejad scored the clutch third period tying goal with just 5:45 left in the game.


ZIbanejad scored three goals and added four assists for seven points in the last two games.  Yes, Zibanejad stepped up.  Don’t forget his desperate attempt to get to the bench when his skate blade came off.


Artemi Panarin had a disappointing game and wasn’t much of a factor in the series.  That is until he scored the power play goal in overtime that ended the series.


Of course, there were contributions from the kids with K’Andre Miller scoring his first playoff goal, though it did deflect off two Penguins.


Miller then stole the puck and had a breakaway, drawing the penalty in overtime that led to the game winning goal.

The Rangers became the first team in NHL history to come back from a 3-1 series deficit and to trail in all three elimination games.

The Rangers did their best to lose this game.  Jacob Trouba took a double minor for high sticking.  Kaapo Kakko shot the puck into the stands for another penalty.  Pittsburgh scored on both. They allowed a shorthanded goal to Evan Rodrigues late in the second period to give the Penguins a 3-2 lead.

Despite the mistakes and staring at a one goal deficit with six minutes left in their season, this never-say-die team got the tying goal and then won it.
There were some controversies.

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