Rangers shut down Penguins, grab series lead
PITTSBURGH – Maybe the story shouldn't be about who isn't on the defense for the injury-plagued Pittsburgh Penguins, but rather who is on the defense for the New York Rangers.
The Rangers' tight defensive play limited the Penguins to six shots over the first 30 minutes en route to a 2-1 win that puts the Rangers up 2-1 in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference quarterfinal.
"Besides on their goal, we did a good job of not letting them get to second or third pucks and we did a good job of swallowing pucks," Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh said. "That's a good sign for us that we are back to our foundation."
Defenseman Dan Girardi blocked six shots and goalie Henrik Lundqvist ended up with 23 saves to help the Rangers hold the Penguins to one goal for the second time in the series.
"We just did a good of staying in our structure," McDonagh said. "We talked about continuing to move our feet and making good decisions with the puck. Putting the puck in areas where we can be first on it, or put pressure on their D. We wanted to keep the puck away from their goalie (Marc-Andre Fleury) because he can play it well."
This is a team that reached the Stanley Cup Final last season, and one area where they have made improvement since then is adding more skill to the defense.
Kevin Klein, out for more than a month with a broken arm, is skating with the team, and isn't far from returning to the lineup. When he is back, the Rangers' top six will be Girardi, McDonagh, Marc Staal, Keith Yandle, Klein and Dan Boyle. That group measures up quite well with any defense in the playoffs.
Against the Penguins Monday, the Rangers gave up three shots in the first period and eight in the second period. Only in the third period did the Penguins look like the puck-possession team they want to be, finding the net with 13 shots and picking up a goal from Patric Hornqvist.
"I thought we did a good job handling the pressure when they did come with it," Yandle said.
Penguins coach Mike Johnston said his team's shot totals were hurt by "overpassing" the puck early in the game.
"We weren't executing quick enough at the start," said Penguins captain Sidney Crosby.
The Rangers' sometimes smothering defensive play certainly played a role in that.
"I thought we forced a lot of plays in the first period, and we can't do that," Johnston said.
Adding an exclamation point to the New York defense's strong play was the fact that both of New York's goals were triggered by plays from the defense. Defensemen claimed all four assists on those two goals.
Yandle has the primary assist, setting up Carl Hagelin for a burst through the Pittsburgh's defense to beat Fleury with a blast from the high slot. Hagelin is among the NHL's swiftest forwards
"Hags has the ability to jump by anyone," McDonagh said.
On New York's second goal, Staal banked a pass off the back boards like he was playing billiards. It was a perfect set up for Chris Kreider, who one-timed the carom behind Fleury.
The Rangers will be looking to carry their defensive stinginess forward into Game 4 Thursday, while the Penguins will remind themselves that they were able to mount pressure in the third period.
"You have to find that level of desperation earlier," Crosby said.
PHOTOS: First round of the Stanley Cup playoffs