New York Rangers left wing Tim Gettinger (26) and Rangers left wing Chris Kreider react after Rangers left wing Artemi Panarin (10) scored the game winning goal past Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry during overtime in Game 7 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series Sunday, May 15, 2022, in New York.Adam Hunger/The Associated Press
Artemi Panarin scored a power-play goal 4:46 into overtime and the New York Rangers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3 Sunday night to advance to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Mika Zibanejad had a goal and two assists, and Chris Kreider and K’Andre Miller also scored for New York, which got its third straight comeback win after trailing 3-1 in the series. Andrew Copp had two assists and Igor Shesterkin stopped 42 shots.
The Rangers went on a power play 2:55 into overtime when Pittsburgh’s Brock McGinn was called for holding. Late in the advantage, Panarin got the puck on the right side and fired a shot from the right circle past Tristan Jarry.
The Rangers players all mobbed Panarin along the boards in the left corner as the sold-out Madison Square Garden crowd erupted into a frenzy. New York advanced to the second round for the first time since 2017, when they lost to Ottawa.
New York will play Carolina next. The Hurricanes beat the Boston Bruins in Game 7 on Saturday night.
Evan Rodrigues had a goal and an assist, and Jake Guentzel and Danton Heinen also scored for the Penguins, who were ousted in the first playoff series for the fourth straight year. Jarry returned in goal and had 26 saves in his first game since April 14.
The Penguins also had captain Sidney Crosby back after he missed the last game with an upper body injury sustained midway through Game 5.
Tyler Motte had a short-handed breakaway 8 1/2 minutes into the third period, but Jarry made a nice kick save on his forehand attempt to preserve Pittsburgh’s 3-2 lead.
Zibanejad scored on a shot from the inside edge of the left circle off a pass from Copp with 5:45 left to tie it with his third of the series – all in the last two games.
With the Rangers’ Kaapo Kakko off for a delay of game, Guentzel gave the Penguins a 2-1 lead with 9:42 left in the second as he kicked the puck up with his right skate and then swatted the puck out of the air with a backhand and in. The goal was upheld after a video review, giving Guentzel his eighth of the series.
Miller tied it for the Rangers 1:05 later as he fired a shot from the top of the left circle and the puck deflected off the right skate of Penguins defenceman Mike Matheson in front and trickled across the goal-line past Jarry.
Rodrigues gave Pittsburgh a 3-2 lead on a short-handed breakaway as he skated in and beat Shesterkin with a backhander with 2:36 left in the middle period. It was his third of the series.
Kreider gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead 7:36 into the game with his fifth goal of the series. Zibanejad got his seventh assist.
Thirty seconds later, Shesterkin snatched Crosby’s slap shot out of the air while doing the splits, drawing chants of “I-gor! I-gor!” from the home crowd that was roaring since before puck drop.
The Penguins had an extended power play late in the first period. With the Rangers’ Ryan Strome and Pittsburgh’s Bryan Rust off for roughing, New York’s Jacob Trouba was sent off on a double-minor for high-sticking
The Penguins took advantage as Heinen tied it with 1:09 left with a goal that wasn’t credited until the play was stopped about 25 seconds later. From the left side, Heinen poked the puck in and raised his arms in celebration, but play continued as Rangers defenceman Adam Fox swept the puck away. Replays showed it came after the puck had crossed the line, giving Heinen his third of the series.
HEALING UP
In addition to Jarry and Crosby, the Penguins also got forward Rickard Rakell back. Rakell hadn’t played since he suffered a lower body injury in Game 1. Defensemen Brian Dumoulin and Brian Boyle remained out with lower body injuries.
CLIMBING
Kreider got his 29th career post-season goal, tying Mark Messier for second place on the franchise list. Rod Gilbert is tops with 34. … Kreider also got his 46th playoff point, tying Anders Hedberg for 10th place in franchise history.
GAME 7s
The Rangers improved to 10-6 all-time in a Game 7, including 8-1 at home. … The Rangers also improved to 4-0 when forcing a Game 7 after trailing in a series 3-1. They previously beat Boston in the semi-finals in 1939, Pittsburgh in the second round in 2014 and Washington in the second round in 2015.
The Penguins fell to 10-8 in deciding games, including 6-1 in a Game 7 on the road. … Under coach Mike Sullivan they fell to 3-1 in Game 7, last beating Ottawa in the 2017 Eastern Conference finals.