PITTSBURGH (AP) – Sidney Crosby picked up his NHL-leading 22nd goal, Evgeni Malkin added a goal and two assists and the Pittsburgh Penguins toppled the New York Rangers 7-2 on Tuesday night to move into a tie with the Rangers atop the crowded Metropolitan Division.
Bryan Rust, Phil Kessel, Justin Schultz, Patric Hornqvist and Nick Bonino also scored for the Penguins, who improved to 8-0-2 in December. Matt Murray made 26 saves and is unbeaten in regulation in his last 13 home starts as the Penguins cruised despite missing injured defensemen Kris Letang and Trevor Daley.
Michael Grabner collected his team-high 14th goal for New York and Matt Puempel added his second, but New York struggled to keep pace with Pittsburgh. Antti Raanta stopped 40 of 47 shots and allowed four third-period goals after the Rangers had pulled within 3-2.
Pittsburgh’s seven goals are the most the Rangers have given up this season. The Penguins had six goals during a win at Madison Square Garden last month.
The Rangers entered with an NHL-best 23 wins, though all it’s done is keep them just ahead of Pittsburgh, Columbus, Washington and Philadelphia in the NHL’s most competitive division. The Penguins briefly claimed the top spot last week before a pair of overtime losses over the weekend allowed New York to sneak back in front in a race that will likely stretch until the spring.
Their meeting on the eve of the official start of winter was more of a litmus test of sorts for two teams that won’t meet again until March 31. The Penguins dominated the opening 20 minutes, peppering Raanta early while dictating the pace. Crosby gave Pittsburgh the lead 5:55 into the first, skating down the slot then redirecting Ian Cole’s shot over Raanta’s stick for his team-high eighth power play goal of the season.
New York eventually found its footing and tied it 16:59 into the game when Puempel’s knuckler from the top of the left circle seemed to spook Murray, who raised his glove to protect his face only to see the puck fritter between the two and into the net.
The Penguins went in front for good 4:43 into the second when Malkin drilled a one-timer past Raanta off a cross-ice feed from Chris Kunitz. Kessel, who had a pair of scoring chances evaporate in Toronto on Saturday night when his stick broke while trying to take a shot, found himself to the left of the New York goal then faked a pair of shots while skating to the middle of the ice. His shot caromed off Raanta and just over the goal line before New York’s Nick Holden could scoop it out.
