PITTSBURGH — In an exciting matchup on Sunday, the New York Rangers triumphed over the Pittsburgh Penguins with a 5-3 victory, highlighted by Adam Fox’s crucial go-ahead goal scored at 11:26 of the third period. J.T. Miller was instrumental in the win, netting two goals, including one in the first period and an empty-netter late in the game. Will Cuylle also contributed with a power-play goal, while Jimmy Vesey celebrated his 100th NHL goal. Goaltender Igor Shesterkin performed admirably, recording 30 saves throughout the contest.
The Penguins initially surged ahead when Ryan Shea scored twice in the third period, marking his first two goals of the season, giving Pittsburgh a brief 3-2 lead. However, Vesey quickly equalized for the Rangers just 4:21 into the period. Fox’s decisive goal came shortly after, solidifying New York’s lead with just over seven minutes remaining in the game.
Evgeni Malkin found the net for Pittsburgh, while star player Sidney Crosby logged an assist, which made him the ninth player in NHL history to achieve 17 or more seasons with at least 60 points. Furthermore, Erik Karlsson continued his impressive run with an assist, extending his own point streak to seven games, while Pittsburgh’s goaltender Joel Blomqvist only had to make 11 saves in the loss.
In a notable moment, defenseman Matt Grzelcyk left the match early, following a hit in the first period. Meanwhile, Chris Kreider for the Rangers skated during warmups but was unable to compete due to an upper-body injury.
Key insights from the game include New York’s resurgence after suffering an 8-2 defeat in Buffalo just a day prior, securing four wins in their last six outings. On the other hand, the Penguins faced their third consecutive loss, having been overwhelmed by Washington at home just the day before and missing out on points after a prior streak of four consecutive games.
When it came to critical moments, Pittsburgh made a strong push by leading early in the third period thanks to Shea’s goals; however, Vesey’s quick equalizer reignited the Rangers’ momentum. Notably, the Rangers faced a challenging stretch, going 15:57 without a shot against what is known to be the NHL’s second-worst defensive team, with Pittsburgh dominating the second period by firing the first 16 shots on goal.
Looking ahead, both teams are set to continue their campaigns on the road Tuesday, with the Rangers heading to face the New York Islanders while the Penguins will take on the Philadelphia Flyers.
