The most anticipated game on Tuesday ultimately came down to the goalies.
Rangers vs. Penguins 2014 final score: 3 things we learned in New York’s 5-0 win
The Penguins had no answer for Henrik Lundqvist, and Marc-Andre Fleury had no answer for the Rangers.
Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
Henrik Lundqvist stopped all 33 shots he faced as the New York Rangers broke Pittsburgh's win streak with a 5-0 victory at Madison Square Garden.
With Marc-Andre Fleury struggling in net for the Penguins, the Rangers decided to spread the goal-scoring love around a bit. Mats Zuccarello, Martin St. Louis and Kevin Klein all combined to give New York a 3-0 lead after one period. The Rangers took that lead and ran with it.
The vaunted Penguins power play went dry as the Rangers tacked on more to their lead in the final two frames. Rick Nash assisted on Derick Brassard’s second period power play goal before tallying his 12th goal of the season in the third for the final nail in Pittsburgh’s coffin. Nash’s three-point game was just the latest high-water mark in what has been a stellar season thus far.
Three Things We Learned
1. Derek Stepan isn't rusty at all after missing most of the season rehabbing an injury. Since stepping back into the lineup, the Rangers' offense has started to hum. Stepan registered two assists in New York's win and helped drive the Rangers attack all night. He also proved he already has his legs under him when he outskated Evgeni Malkin to the puck to set up Rick Nash's shorthanded goal in the third.
2. The Rangers figured out a way to contain Sidney Crosby. Crosby had a -10.1% relative Corsi in the first period, a sure sign that the Penguins were unable to answer as New York created a 3-0 lead. He managed to pick up the pace as the game wore on, but New York kept him under wraps when they needed to most.
3. Marc-Andre Fleury didn’t do much to immediately back up his contract extension. The Penguins gave Fleury a four-year, $23 million extension over the weekend, putting the pressure directly on their oft-embattled goaltender. Fleury is a solid goaltender, but his performance on Tuesday left a lot to be desired. With Henrik Lundqvist stonewalling them at the other end of the ice, Pittsburgh needed their netminder to keep them in the game. He didn’t, and they paid for it.
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