PITTSBURGH - The Rangers played their fourth game in six days on Sunday, and it looked as if the workload had caught up to them. Unable to keep up with a Pittsburgh team intent on making them expend precious energy, they lost, 3-0.
It will not get much easier for the Rangers, who return to Madison Square Garden for Game 3 on Monday night with this second-round best-of-seven series tied at a game apiece.
With Game 3, the Rangers will become the first N.H.L. team in 25 years to play five playoff games over a seven-day stretch. They have insisted that all the high-pressure hockey of the last week is not a strain, but it did not look that way in Game 2.
Their power play went 0 for 4, extending its streak without a goal to 29 tries.
It was also the Rangers' 13th consecutive loss while holding a lead in a playoff series, an N.H.L.-record streak that started in 2009.
Henrik Lundqvist's 32-save performance went for naught. Lundqvist turned back nearly everything the Penguins sent his way as they came at him seemingly nonstop. But he was finally beaten halfway through the game on a goal from defenseman Kris Letang. The puck bounced in off the stick of Dan Girardi, who was trying to break up a pass by Letang.
Lundqvist gave up a second goal with 3 minutes 30 seconds left in the game, while the Penguins were on a power play. Jussi Jokinen scored on a rebound, but Lundqvist very nearly caught it as he stretched across the crease.
Evgeni Malkin added an empty-net goal with 54 seconds to play.
The fastest and most dangerous Penguin was Sidney Crosby. He did not score a goal, his 13th straight game without a goal, the longest of his career. He also has not scored in 13 playoff games, stretching back to last year.
So unusual is his slump that some have questioned whether he is injured, something he repeatedly has denied.
But Crosby flew into the Rangers' end time after time, at one point dancing around defenseman Ryan McDonagh.
Lundqvist had to stop Crosby on six shots, most among the Penguins. An additional four of his shot attempts were blocked or missed the net.
The Rangers applied plenty of pressure of their own in the first two periods, but were outshot in the third, 10-5.
Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury stopped all 22 shots he faced. His play was much improved over Game 1, when he allowed a soft first goal that proved the difference in a 3-2 overtime loss.
The scoreless opening period featured a series of fizzled power plays. The Rangers were awarded three, all in the first 7:04, but had only two shots on goal.
Anton Stralman was given plenty of time at the point, his first postseason appearances on the power play, as Coach Alain Vigneault sought something to reverse the unit's failing performance.
The Rangers' high number of power plays was a reflection of the Penguins' aggressive play. They outhit the Rangers by 15-4 in the first 20 minutes.
The Penguins had one power play, and although they controlled the puck in the Rangers end, their shots sailed high and wide.
Pittsburgh dominated much of the second period to take a 1-0 lead into the final period. The goal came moments after Lundqvist made a terrific stop, sliding across the crease to thwart a redirection he saw coming from Crosby.
The winning goal came on a similar play. Letang passed into the slot toward Chris Kunitz for a redirection. Dan Girardi dove to break up the pass. But the puck deflected off Girardi's outstretched stick, past Lundqvist and into the net at 10:26.
The game was too close for Vigneault to preserve key players by cutting back on their ice time.
Of special concern going into Game 3 is the playing time of Girardi (24 minutes) and McDonagh (23:26).
But they, and the rest of the Rangers, have less than 24 hours to rest and regroup for Game 3.
SLAP SHOTS
The Penguins made a lineup change, inserting the speedy 5-foot-8 forward Brian Gibbons for the bruising Tanner Glass. ...Pittsburgh defenseman Brooks Orpik missed his fourth game with an undisclosed injury.
Posted by Unknown on Sunday, May 4, 2014 - Rating: 4.5
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