PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Last game had to be a fluke, the Rangers were going to push back and likely Vezina Trophy winner Igor Shesterkin was going to have a huge game. A complete and utter blowout by the Pens 7-2 to take a 3-1 series lead.
How It Happened
Pens actually started sloppy in this game, giving the Rangers turnovers and New York took advantage on a Alexis Lafreniere goal to make it 1-0 just over two minutes in. Halfway through the first Evan Rodrigues took a stick in the eye leading to a Pens power play. A shot by Kris Letang, deflected by Jake Guentzel was lying loose under Shesterkin's pad. Sidney Crosby jammed it home, confirmed after a lengthy replay. It's 1-1 after one.
Shesterkin lost a puck in his pads and Jeff Carter nearly scored on a shot off the post. You could feel the Pens were close and then the volcano erupted.
· Mike Matheson scored on a slapper off a perfect faceoff feed from Crosby, 2-1 Pens
· Bryan Rust finds Guentzel in the paint for his fifth goal of the series, 3-1
· Mark Friedman, the oft-scratched defenseman likely only in because of an injury to Brian Dumoulin, slapped one home, 4-1
· After a Rangers goal, Danton Heinen with a slick redirect off a Kris Letang shot. Two goals in two games for Heinen, 5-2
· 35 seconds later, Carter tips a Jason Zucker shot, 6-2
Evgeni Malkin would get his second of the playoffs in the third for the 7-2 final.
Thirteen different Penguins would finish with points, Crosby led all with three, Letang and Guentzel with a pair.
Louis Domingue gave up the first goal of the game, but stopped 22 shots for his third playoff win, all in this series.
More Crosby Milestones
· 67th multi-point game in playoff history, 3rd all-time
· 200 career playoff points, one point behind Jaromir Jagr for 5th all-time
· 71st playoff goal is 2nd among active players (1 behind Alexander Ovechkin)
· 2 assists gives him 129 in his post-season career, tied with Nicklas Lidstrom for 5th
· 20th career power play goal, tied for 3rd in Pens history with Kevin Stevens
No changes
Coming off the win in Game 3 with Jason Zucker healthy enough to play, there were no lineup changes Monday night. Rickard Rakell practice Monday morning in a non-contact jersey. Goalie Tristan Jarry took shots before the team Monday morning and continues to make progress. Two of the last three days, Jarry has been on the ice. Defenseman Brian Dumoulin has yet to skate as he remains out with an undisclosed injury.
Up Next
A practice day in Pittsburgh before heading to New York and Game 5 Wednesday night.
