Penguins stick it to Rangers in Overtime

Late in the second period the Penguins led by two, and it looked as though the Ranger’s season and Stanley Cup aspirations had filtered past like pucks through their tight defense.

Ranger’s fans had steadily been disappointed by key players, such as Chris Drury and Brendan Shanahan during this match up, and the Penguins worked hard to keep Jaromir Jagr shutdown.

Starting the third period, Lauri Korpikoski snaked across the ice captured the puck, coiled for his second NHL shot and struck the first Ranger goal of the game. With just two minutes worth of play and 17:30 left in the third period, Korpikoski turned the ice on the Penguins.

The Rangers came into the third with a feverish pace, and Korpikoski had just boosted the team ego. A minute later with16:32 left in the third, Nigel Dawes careened down the ice and slapped one into the net. Early into the third, The Rangers tied the score and revived the spirit of this game.

The fast pace continued as both teams fought hard across the ice, took wide shots and were continually denied access by the goalkeepers. Both teams slowed across the ice briefly with just over 8 minutes left in the third period.

But as the clock marched down the third period, the two teams power housed the ice, tumbled bodies off the glass, dislodged sticks and scattered them over the ice like downed soldiers. With 1:18 left in the third, a penalty was called on Drury for high-sticking.

The penalty resulted in a four minute power play for Pittsburg and some controversy. As early in the second period, Ryan Malone mishandled his stick and after a collision with his teammate, Malone’s stick bloodied Drury’ face. Drury had to be removed from the game and the ice scrapped, but a penalty was not called on Malone.

Jarkko Ruutu tried to take advantage of the penalty time and aggressively shot the puck, but Henrik Lundqvist was quick with the block. The clock drained with both teams unable to score and 2:41 of the power play spilled into overtime.

The Penguins skated out to a clear advantage with fresh ice, power play time still on the clock and Drury warming the penalty box. The Rangers, however, remained sharp on their defense and drained the penalty time. Four minutes into overtime the Penguins failed to score and the Rangers failed to shot.

Three minutes later, fighting back hard the Rangers amassed 13 shots. The Penguins stood at 22 shots in overtime. The teams continued to battle with hard blocks and the defense held tight, they catapulted the puck over the ice desperate for an opportunity at the goal.

Sidney Crosby maneuvered into the Ranger’s zone, made a quick pass to Marian Hossa and Hossa ended the game soaring the puck past Lundqvist. The Penguins solidified a game five Eastern Conference win, 7:10 into overtime, and shattered Stanley Cup hopes for the Rangers. “It was three on three, the puck came to, I took the shot and ended the final period,” Hossa said after the game.