Only 1 King

Henrik tilts ice Rangers’ way

SO THE Pittsburgh Penguins are mortal after all, and now this series is tied, with Henrik Lundqvist in the Rangers’ net and Jeff Zatkoff in the Pens’ crease. Now, who still wants to confidently call Pittsburgh the heavy favorite heading back to New York for Game 3 on Tuesday night at the Garden?

It’s easy to get caught up in the emotions after a win or a loss. And Lundqvist’s preseries illness, his Game 1 right eye injury, captain Ryan McDonagh’s absence, and the Rangers’ dreary Wednesday night defeat to the hottest team in the NHL all made solid cases for the Penguins perhaps breezing through this early round.

But the Rangers’ 4-2 victory in Game 2 Saturday jarred the reality of this matchup back into perspective: Unless the return of Penguins top goalie Marc-Andre Fleury (concussion) is on the horizon, the Rangers’ advantage in net is almost unquantifiable.

Even Zatkoff said it after Game 2: “I thought Lundqvist played great. He made more saves than (I did). That’s the difference.”

An emotional and physical Rangers forward group forced the Penguins’ defense into mistakes. That gave the Pens a harsh reminder of their humanity, handing them their second loss of consequence since March 8 - the other being a 3-0 home loss to the Devils on March 24.

The Penguins closed the regular season 14-2-0 in their final 16 games. Their only other loss was an April 9 finale with Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang resting. They were playing for nothing; the Philadelphia Flyers were playing for everything. Then the Pens beat the Rangers, 5-2, in Game 1 in Zatkoff’s NHL playoff debut.

However, Fleury hasn’t played since March 31. Impressive backup Matt Murray (upper-body) hasn’t played since coach Mike Sullivan unwisely started him on April 9, when he was hurt on a collision with Flyers forward Brayden Schenn. Up front, Evgeni Malkin is bristling about rotating from center to wing Saturday in his first game back from injury. Meanwhile, in the Rangers’ crease, Lundqvist has started 112 consecutive playoff games for the franchise dating back to April 2006, the model of consistency. His 55th career NHL playoff win Saturday passed Hall of Famer Terry Sawchuk for 15th place on the league’s all-time list. And most importantly, Lundqvist has won eight of his last 10 postseason starts against the Pens.

“Every save matters,” Lundqvist said after Game 2, before Sunday’s off day preceded a planned noon practice Monday in Greenburgh. “For a goalie that’s what you have to tell yourself especially in the playoffs, because every goal, every save can turn a game.”

Alain Vigneault needs potential difference-makers Rick Nash and Eric Staal to match the levels J.T. Miller and Derick Brassard reached Saturday, but Lundqvist and the defense are the Blueshirts’ keys to victory.

Including playoffs, the Rangers have a 42-3-3 record when allowing two or fewer goals in regulation or overtime, and a 5-25-6 mark when giving up three or more. Lundqvist is the reason why.

“When you get into a game, you trust he’s going to be there doing what he does,” alternate captain Marc Staal said of Lundqvist.

The Penguins’ Fleury, meanwhile, hasn’t played a game this month. Who’s the series favorite now?

“It’s a good feeling to go home now and get an opportunity to play at home,” Lundqvist said. “I can’t wait.”