Backup goalie Alexandar Georgiev solid in relief of Igor Shesterkin
PITTSBURGH, PA - MAY 07: Alexis Lafrenière #13 of the New York Rangers goes for a loose puck in front of Louis Domingue #70 of the Pittsburgh Penguins during the first period in Game Three of the First Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PPG PAINTS Arena on May 7, 2022 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) Credit: Getty Images/Justin Berl
PITTSBURGH — Alexandar Georgiev played 40 minutes in relief of Igor Shesterkin on Saturday night, saved 19 of 20 shots . . . and ended up as the losing goaltender in the Rangers’ 7-4 loss to the Penguins in Game 3 of the teams’ first-round playoff series at PPG Paints Arena.
After Georgiev came in with the score 4-1 in favor of the Penguins, the Rangers rallied with three goals in the second period to tie it at 4-4. But Danton Heinen beat Mika Zibanejad to a loose puck in the right corner and whipped a shot over Georgiev’s left shoulder for what proved to be the winning goal at 11:02 of the third period. Jake Guentzel and Jeff Carter tacked on empty-net goals to put the game away.
“I thought he was really solid,’’ Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said of Georgiev, who made his NHL playoff debut. “Really, he looked strong. He was excited to get in there and he was really solid.’’
Power play doesn’t pan out
The Rangers, who had only one power play in Game 1 and two in Game 2, had three in Game 3, including two in the third period with the score tied at 4. They came up empty with the man advantage.
“We had two chances in the third,’’ Ryan Strome said. “Our power play has been good. All we’ve wanted was an opportunity, and we had a chance to change the game, and we couldn’t get one. So it’s obviously frustrating. Especially after clawing all the way back and fighting through some adversity.’’
Lindgren, Goodrow out
Defenseman Ryan Lindgren and forward Barclay Goodrow each missed his second straight game with a lower-body injury. Lindgren is on the trip and was doing rehab work when his teammates were skating in the morning. He sat in the press box with the rest of the Rangers’ scratches and is listed as day-to-day.
The Penguins had injury problems of their own. Besides starting third-string goalie Louis Domingue for the second straight game — No. 1 goalie Tristan Jarry is out with a lower-body injury (believed to be a broken foot) and No. 2 Casey DeSmith is out for the rest of the playoffs after undergoing surgery to repair a core injury on Friday — Pittsburgh was without defenseman Brian Dumoulin and forward Rickard Rakell for the second straight game.
Dumoulin was a surprise scratch for Game 2 with an undisclosed injury; Rakell left Game 1 late in the first period after taking a heavy hit from Lindgren
Game 5 details
The NHL announced on Friday that Game 5 of the series, which will be played Wednesday at Madison Square Garden, will start at 7 p.m. It will be broadcast on ESPN as well as on MSG Network. Game 6, if necessary, will be played in Pittsburgh on Friday at a time to be announced.
Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
