Shesterkin chased again, Pens grab 3-1 series lead

PITTSBURGH — Sidney Crosby had a goal and three assists to become the sixth player in NHL history to reach 200 career playoff points as the Pittsburgh Penguins throttled the New York Rangers 7-2 on Monday night to take a 3-1 lead in their Eastern Conference first-round series.

Jake Guentzel scored for the fourth consecutive game, and Jeff Carter, Danton Heinen, Mark Friedman and Mike Matheson also beat Igor Shesterkin as the Penguins

chased the Vezina Trophy favorite for the second time in three days to move within one game of advancing in the postseason for the first time since 2018.

Shesterkin, who dazzled by making 118 saves in the first two games of the series at Madison Square Garden, sat out the third period after giving up six goals on 30 shots. Alexandar Georgiev allowed Evgeni Malkin’s second goal of the playoffs in the third and could find himself the starter when the series heads back to New York for Game 5 on Wednesday.

Alexis Lafreniere picked up his first career postseason goal for the Rangers to give New York an early lead, but it didn’ t come close to holding. Adam Fox’s second of the playoffs pulled New York to within two late in the second period, but Pittsburgh responded by pumping in two more past Shesterkin in the waning moments as the sellout crowd at PPG Paints Arena taunted the goaltender with chants of “IIIIIIIIGORRRR.”

Shesterkin, who limited the Penguins to four goals in four games during the regular season, surrendered twice that total in three periods in Pittsburgh as the Rangers — who entered the series as the favorites — limped to the cusp of a quick exit.

While Shesterkin has struggled, Pittsburgh thirdstringer Louis Domingue is nearing local cult hero status while filling in for injured All-star Tristan Jarry. Domingue made 22 saves to win his third game of the series. Not bad for a 30-yearold journeyman making his playoff debut after spending most of the last three seasons in the minors.

Jarry, who is recovering from a broken foot, is skating and faced shots during Monday morning’s optional skate.