The New York Rangers secured a 5-3 road victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena. Bouncing back from an 8-2 loss to the Buffalo Sabres, Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin returned to the pipes today, recording 37 saves after being pulled early in that matchup. Dressing for warmups, New York assistant captain Chris Kreider was a late scratch for today’s game due to an upper-body injury sustained in the previous game against Buffalo, leaving a key player unavailable for the Rangers.
As the first period went underway, the Penguins struck early. Penguins center Evgeni Malkin opened with help from linemate Cody Glass, putting Pittsburgh ahead. New York eventually responded as Will Cuylle tied the game at 1-1 on a power-play goal —his 15th of the season—beating Penguins goalie Joel Blomqvist with a top-corner shot. Meanwhile, Penguins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk sustained an upper-body injury following a hit by Rangers forward Matt Rempe.
The second period saw a quieter start, with Rangers forward J.T. Miller finding the back of the net for a 2-1 lead. The Rangers outshot the Penguins 10-5 in the period, holding the Penguins to just one shot on goal in the first 10 minutes.
As the third period picked up, defenseman Ryan Shea scored his first goal of the season, tying the game at 2-2 just 57 seconds in. Following this momentum, Shea found the back of the net yet again with help from Captain Sidney Crosby, putting the Penguins up 3-2. Tying the game up once again, Rangers forward Jimmy Vesey not only obtained the momentum by neutralizing the score but also marked a milestone by scoring his 100th career goal. Fox responded with a wrist shot between the circles, giving New York a 4-3 advantage. With only six seconds left in the game, J.T. Miller sealed the win with an empty-net goal, solidifying a road victory for the Rangers.
J.T. Miller was the standout performer in today’s win, scoring two crucial goals that shifted momentum for the Rangers. His leadership on the ice has become a key factor in the team’s push toward a wildcard spot.
With this win, the Rangers improved to four wins in their last six games, while the Penguins continued their losing streak. The Rangers will next face the Islanders in a New York showdown on Tuesday, Feb. 25.
