Eric Godard took on Colten Orr in a bout of two heavyweights just three ticks into the game. After being beaten down twice this year already at the hands of Orr, Godard got his vengeance this time, dropping Orr with a heavy blow as the fight came to a close.
The Rangers had a decided advantage in the game's opening minutes, and they were rewarded for their dominance two minutes into the game.
Paul Bissonnette turned the puck over in his own zone, and Brandon Dubinsky, Aaron Voros, and Nikolai Zherdev broke into the Penguins' end, and defenseman Ryan Whitney of the Pens fell on his keister, making for a two on one-- Dubinsky and Zherdev against Rob Scuderi.
The Rangers forwards crossed paths, and Zherdev drilled it past Marc-Andre Fleury.
The Penguins soon after evened things up.
Chris Minard sent the puck along the ice toward Henrik Lundqvist, and the Rangers netminder allowed it to bounce high in the air before losing control of its bounce. Petr Sykora shot it, and Chris Drury and his seven million dollar cap hit whacked the puck past his own goalie and in.
Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin generated several golden chances throughout the period, but Lundqvist owned up to the task each time.
On a side note, earlier in the day, Puck Daddy released an interview with Montreal Canadiens forward Sergei Kostitsyn. In the interview, Kostitsyn calls Crosby the most "overhyped" player in the game of hockey. In the past, when Crosby has been called out by people like Alexander Semin and the Philadelphia Flyers fanbase, he has responded by going on scoring tears.
The second period brought no scoring, but the Penguins managed to carry the play and kill off two penalties. Max Talbot was called once for "charging" into Lundqvist, a horrific call, and then once for flipping the puck over the glass from his defensive zone.
Crosby had a nice rush where he laid out Voros behind Fleury, took a pass in stride in the neutral zone, and then undressed Wade Redden on his way to backhanding a puck high and wide.
The third period was ever so sweet.
The Penguins went up 2-0 when Jordan Staal flipped the puck in deep behind Michael Roszival, then retrieved the puck himself. Staal threw the puck at the net, and a Minard screen distracted Lundqvist, who let the puck ricochet off his left skate and into the net.
Then, Crosby found Kris Letang coming down the right slot, and Letang buried a wicked wrister for his second goal of the season. He could do that so much more often.
The Pens picked up a third goal of the period on a five on three powerplay.
Ryan Whitney worked the puck down low to Crosby, who hit Sykora right in front, and Petr Gunn hit a seeing-eye one-timer that Lundqvist let between the wickets.
Marc Staal did give the Rangers another goal, however, taking a pass from Scott Gomez just to the left of Fleury and rifling one into the top right corner of the net.
Letang would score the Pens' possible goal of the season on a Coffey-like rush just minutes after Staal trimmed the lead to two goals.
Tanger moved with speed near the length of the ice, and protected the puck from Paul Mara before sticking the puck between the legs of Lundqvist to build the lead back to 5-2.
Crosby then picked up the puck in the left circle and fired a turning backhander to the top right corner that Lundqvist couldn't handle. Malkin picked up an assist, along with Phillipe Boucher.
Notes-
-That was a nice way to come out after the break.
-Chris Minard should have a roster spot here full time.
-Sykora with another two goals. He is solid.
-Kris Letang showed why he has the potential to be an outsanding offensive defenseman.
-Fleury was excellent.
-No real negatives to report.
-Another big one on Friday in New Jersey.
GO PENS!
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