Panarin, Vatrano help Rangers beat Penguins in Game 2

NEW YORK — Artemi Panarin and Frank Vatrano each had a goal and two assists and the New York Rangers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-2 in Game 2 on Thursday night to even the best-of-seven first-round series.

Chris Kreider, Andrew Copp and Ryan Strome also scored for the Rangers. Igor Shesterkin made 39 saves two nights after stopping 79 shots in a triple-overtime loss in Game 1.

Sidney Crosby had a goal and an assist, and Jake Guentzel also scored for the Penguins. Louis Domingue, getting the start after replacing the injured Casey DeSmith in the second overtime of Game 1, finished with 34 saves. Game 3 is Saturday night in Pittsburgh.

With the Rangers leading 3-2 after 40 minutes, the Penguins came out strong in the third period with the first nine shots on goal. Shesterkin stopped a tip by Bryan Rust and then made a diving save to deny a slap shot by Evgeni Malkin in the opening minute of the period. Shesterkin also stopped a slap shot by Guentzel 3½ minutes in and then had a diving save on Crosby’s deflection nearly 30 seconds later.

Panarin then extended the lead to 4-2 when his centring pass from beyond the goal line deflected off Penguins defenceman Mike Matheson and past Domingue at 8:02.

Vatrano gave the Rangers a three-goal lead when he got around Matheson in the right circle, skated in and beat Domingue inside the right post at 9:49.

The Rangers took a 2-1 lead during a power play early in the second period when Adam Fox’s slap shot through traffic was deflected by Strome in front and through Domingue’s skates at 2:59.

Minutes later, the Penguins had an odd-man rush but just fired a shot wide off the end boards, and Crosby’s sharpangle attempt from the left side on the rebound was kicked aside by Shesterkin.

Kreider pushed the Rangers’ lead to 3-1. He deflected Frank Vatrano’s point shot past Domingue for his second goal of the series at 7:54.

Crosby pulled the Penguins within one on a rush as he scored from the middle on the rebound of Bryan Rust’s backhander with 1:26 left in the middle period.