Heinen’s goal ignites late surge, Pens top Rangers

PITTSBURGH » Danton Heinen’s first playoff goal in three years just past the midway point of the third period broke a tie to lift the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 7-4 victory over the New York Rangers on Saturday night to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round Eastern Conference series.

Pittsburgh blew a threegoal first-period lead but recovered behind the play of third-string goaltender Louis Domingue and Heinen, who jumped on a loose puck near the New York goal line and flicked a shot by Alexandar Georgiev 11:02 into the third to put the Penguins in front to stay.

Evan Rodrigues had two goals and assisted on another for the Penguins, who won despite the top line of Sidney Crosby, Jake Guentzel and Bryan Rust not recording a point until Guentzel’s empty-netter with 2:14 to play sealed it. Jeff Carter also scored twice for the Penguins while Brock McGinn started the scoring on a wild night with his first goal of the playoffs.

Domingue made 32 saves and even recorded an assist in his second playoff start.

The 30-year-old journeyman put together a flurry of stops early in the third period with the Penguins on the penalty kill.

AVALANCHE 7, PREDATORS 3 » Gabriel Landeskog scored twice in the second period, and top-seeded Colorado beat Nashvill for a commanding 3-0 lead in their first-round Western Conference series.

Avalanche goalie Darcy Kuemper was hurt with a minute left in the first period. Pavel Francouz replaced him and made 18 saves.

CAPITALS 6, PANTHERS 1 » Ilya Samsonov rebounded after allowing an early goal to make 29 saves, and Washington bounced back to take a 2-1 series lead against Presidents’ Trophywinning Florida.

Alex Ovechkin scored a power-play goal and assisted on another and the Capitals blew out the Panthers in Game 3. Chants of “Sammy! Sammy!” gave way to “Ovi! Ovi! in the third period.

T.J. Oshie deflected Ovechkin’s shot for one power-play goal, and Marcus Johansson, Trevor van Riemsdyk and Garnet Hathaway also scored for the Capitals.