PITTSBURGH (AP) — Chris Letang Knows that the Pittsburgh Penguins are the oldest team in the NHL. The 35-year-old defenseman is one of the reasons.
The Penguins never missed the playoffs during Letang’s 17-year career. They know what it takes to get there, even if this time around that postseason push has taken a little longer than usual to begin.
It’s going well now, and Letang is right in the middle of it.
Letang’s blast from the point 1:38 into overtime gave Pittsburgh a 3–2 win over New York. rangers on Sunday, solidifying his team’s hold on the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
Not bad for a team that lost after being shut out at home by Edmonton on February 23. The Penguins are 7-1-1.
Letang said after his third overtime winner, “I think if you look at the averages for our age, a lot of guys have experience and they know what to do to turn it around and make sure We want to get into the postseason and we’re going to be full of confidence.” Of the weather “Everyone has a role to play and they have to make the best of it and I think that’s what we’re doing right now.”
jason zucker scored for the ninth time in eight games for Pittsburgh and record rachel My 23rd couple. tristan jerry Made 27 saves as the Penguins improved to 3–0–1 during the five-game homestand.
“I think we’re just playing a team game, (moving Michael Granlund and defendant Dmitry Kulikov (at the trade deadline) really woke up our team and it showed us and the organization that we want to win,” Jari said. “Every game we’re trying to win and every night we’re trying to get two more points.” are trying.”
Barclay Goodrow Scored his 11th goal of the season for New York Chris KreiderK’s goal in the middle of the third period tied it up. Jaroslav Halak Made 32 saves for Rangers, including one glove Alex Nylander Sniffing a 2-on-1 break with less than a minute to go in regulation.
New York is 4-5-2 in its last 11 games to finish just behind Carolina and New Jersey in the race for the Metropolitan Division title.
The Rangers coach said, “We haven’t played well, we admit that, but we’re still winning hockey games.” Gerard Gallant Said. “Tonight, we’ve still got a point against a good team out there. We’re fighting hard. We have to get better. We know that. I think everybody in that room knows that.
The NHL’s oldest team looked decidedly fresh despite their third game in less than 72 hours. A day after dominating hapless Philadelphia, the Penguins set the pace for the first two periods against the Rangers, who were playing their third game in four days, all on the road.
The teams exchanged goals in the first period, even though the Penguins were playing. Zucker’s 24th goal and his fourth in his last four games – a long shot from the point that went wide before being redirected by New York’s skate mika zibnejad – seemed to wake up the Rangers at the beginning of the second.
The intensity immediately increased. rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba Hits Nylander from shoulder to chest at full speed. The bump brought back memories of one of Truba On’s hits Sidney Crosby During last year’s playoffs that forced the Penguins star to miss two games in a series, Pittsburgh would lose in overtime of Game 7.
The hit and aftermath seemed to be a welcome blow to the Rangers and New York especially sprung to life in the third period.
The Rangers tilted the ice heavily in their favor in the final 20 minutes, and Kreider tied the game at the end of a sequence starting with New York. Vincent Trochek Hitting Malkin from behind in the Rangers zone, leading to a layup that ended with Kreider alone in the slot, giving him plenty of room to tie.
The occasional cheesy game can set the table for an interesting week. The Penguins visit Madison Square Garden twice over the next six days.
“There is still a lot of hockey to be played and we need more points than that,” Jari said. “So I think we were a little bit more desperate tonight and hopefully that continues throughout the week.”
next
Rangers: Hosts Washington on Tuesday night.
Penguins: Conclude their homestand on Tuesday against Montreal.
