Early goals carry Rangers
New York scores twice in first period, holds off Pittsburgh.
Derick Brassard and Ryan McDonough scored in the first period, and goalie Henrik Lundqvist made the goals stand up as the host New York Rangers won the opener of their playoff series with the Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1 on Thursday night.
New York shut down Pittsburgh’s top threats, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, for a fourth straight victory over the Penguins in the postseason. The Rangers won the final three games of a second-round series last year, rallying from a 3-1 deficit.
In compiling the best record in the NHL, the Rangers finished 15 points ahead of Pittsburgh in the Eastern Conference. But after the first period, these were two very even teams, with Lundqvist and Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury particularly outstanding. Lundqvist finished with 24 saves, while Fleury was far busier in making 36.
Blake Comeau scored in the second period for Pittsburgh.
Game 2 is in New York on Saturday night.
Brassard got things started only 28 seconds in when Fleury sent the rebound of Rick Nash’s hard slap shot directly into the slot. Brassard was uncovered for a quick wrist shot, the center screaming in delight as the puck went in.
The Garden fans were celebrating again late in the period when New York’s slumping power play connected. On its third of four man-advantages — and the only one that threatened — in the opening 20 minutes, McDonough’s slapper from midpoint sneaked past Fleury.
Although New York kept control early in the second period, Comeau lifted the Penguins within one, knocking in a rebound with congestion around Lundqvist’s crease for his first career playoff goal. That perked up the Penguins, with Malkin and Brandon Sutter getting dangerous chances, and Lundqvist thwarting Maxim Lapierre.
Fleury also was strong at the other end, with the Rangers unable to convert several rebounds off his sharp saves.
That led to a tense, scramble third period in which the goaltenders dominated.
The last time the Rangers won the Presidents’ Trophy was also the last time they won the Stanley Cup, 1993-94, with a star-laden lineup. This group doesn’t have a Mark Messier or Brian Leetch, but it is deep and resourceful.
Having made the finals before losing to Los Angeles a year ago has given the Rangers a sense of confidence. On Thursday, they showed it in shutting down Crosby and Malkin.
Red Wings 3, Lightning 2: Pavel Datsyuk scored twice and Petr Mrazek had 44 saves in his NHL playoff debut as visiting Detroit edged Tampa Bay in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference series.
Datsyuk scored on two of the Red Wings’ first four shots against Ben Bishop. Luke Glendening’s short-handed goal gave Detroit a 3-1 lead early in the third period.
Mrazek, named Detroit’s starter for Game 1 over veteran Jimmy Howard, gave up a short-handed goal to Brian Boyle in the first period and a late goal to Nikita Nesterov that enabled the Lightning to pull within 3-2.
Tampa Bay outshot the Red Wings 46-14, but went 0 for 7 on the power-play.
Blackhawks: Goalie Corey Crawford, pulled from Wednesday night’s 4-3 double-overtime victory over Nashville after allowing three early goals, will start tonight in Game 2, coach Joel Quenneville said.
Crawford’s replacement, Scott Darling stopped all 42 shots he faced in his postseason debut. Duncan Keith scored at 7:49 of double overtime as the Blackhawks rallied from a three-goal deficit.
Senators: General manager Brian Murray said forward Mark Stone sustained a microfracture of his right wrist and some ligament damage, and his status is “very questionable” for the rest of Ottawa’s first-round series with Montreal. Stone was slashed by P.K. Subban during the second period of Wednesday’s series opener.