Rupp gets hat trick as Penguins top Rangers
Photo credit: AP Photo/Frank Franklin II | New York Rangers' Donald Brashear, right, fights for control of the puck with Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby during the first period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Nov. 30, 2009, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
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Nov. 30: Penguins 5, Rangers 2
With two goals last night, Rangers right wing Marian Gaborik has a league-leading 21. But it's the same old script with a different ending.
Sidney Crosby, who had a hat trick against the Rangers on Saturday, also scored twice and the Penguins' Mike Rupp had his first career hat trick, lifting the Penguins to a 5-2 win over the sinking Rangers, who have dropped two straight to Pittsburgh and three consecutive overall.
It was a rare victory here for the Penguins, who had lost eight in a row at Madison Square Garden since a 4-3 shootout win on March 1, 2007. It was another disturbing loss for the Rangers (13-13-1), who are 5-10 in their last 15. The game was tied at 2 after the second period, but Rupp's unassisted goal at 11:14 of the third, which proved to be the game- winner, illuminated a sore spot for the Rangers.
"We're making mistakes at key times," said coach John Tortorella, who is giving the Rangers a day off Tuesday and did not want to assess any specific player's performance. Defensemen Michal Rozsival and Marc Staal (each minus-2) were on the ice when Rupp came through the circle untouched for the 3-2 lead.
"They scored three goals in the last seven or eight minutes," said Gaborik, referring to Crosby's second at 15:51 and Rupp's empty-netter at 18:20. "Now we have four days to practice and get back at it. It's easier said than done, but it's a long season, so we just have to regroup."
Crosby's backhander, high over Henrik Lundqvist, came only 11 seconds after Gaborik put a rebound past Marc-Andre Fleury at 3:12 of the second period.
"We got scored on right after we go ahead 1-0," said Vinny Prospal, who assisted on the Rangers' first goal and skated 23:36, a game high for Rangers forwards. "We have to somehow play for 60 minutes. We're a good team for 40, 45 minutes, we can play with anybody."
Lundqvist and the Rangers had shown they could beat the Penguins at the Garden. In 14 previous home starts against the Penguins, Lundqvist was 12-1-1 with a 1.67 GAA. But he was pulled after allowing four goal in Friday's 5-1 defeat in Tampa and couldn't come up with enough big saves last night.
Asked if he was frustrated that Gaborik, who has more than 25 percent of the Rangers' 80 goals, is not getting any help, Lundqvist shook his head. "The only frustration is that we're not winning," he said. "It doesn't matter who's scoring. I feel frustration with not coming up with the big saves in the end."
On the Penguins fourth goal, Lundqvist got a piece of the drive by Mark Eaton that hit Crosby, but couldn't hold on.
"That is our life right now. I didn't pick it up and it squeezed in," he said.
Playing with speed and grit early, the Rangers were not rewarded with a goal. Staal's wrister was stopped by Fleury, Matt Gilroy hit the post from the right circle, Ryan Callahan's shot hit Fleury in the chest, and P.A. Parenteau tipped one wide of Fleury.
The Penquins didn't have a shot until 12:48 left in the first. "It's not our effort level or our want to compete," Callahan said. "Right now it's just tough for us to finish a game."
