Derick Brassard celebrates a goal with teammates Benoit Pouliot and Ryan McDonagh. His overtime winner allowed the Rangers to prevail over the Penguins in Game 1 3-2.
AP Photos/Gene J. Puskar

For seemingly ever, this team has been hideous in playoff overtime. The first game of the second round series against an old nemesis required it. After blowing a two-goal first period lead, the Rangers found a way to beat the Penguins 3-2 in Game 1 thanks to Derick Brassard’s overtime winner.

The game winner came at 3:06 of sudden death. It was a great play made by Benoit Pouliot, who won a battle behind the net and centered for Brassard, who beat Marc-Andre Fleury. That allowed the Rangers to steal the first game of the best of seven Eastern Conference Semifinal. It was the fourth time the Rangers and Penguins required OT in Pittsburgh. Unlike recent history, the Rangers came out on top thanks to some strong play from the Brassard unit with Pouliot and Mats Zuccarello. The cohesive trio were in on two of three goals.

The conclusion was a bit perplexing. Initially, referees Brad Watson and Steve Kozari thought Brassard’s shot hit the post. With the Pens in full scramble mode, the Rangers stayed with it. Pouliot buried a one-timer that assured an overtime win. Once it was over, NBCSN replays confirmed that Brassard’s shot hit the inside of the net before caroming out. That made it his goal. A player who was held to only two points- both assists in their seven-game first round win- Brassard delivered in the clutch scoring his first goal of the postseason.

Henrik Lundqvist makes a save on Sidney Crosby. He finished with 34 saves.
AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar

The overtime triumph was only Henrik Lundqvist’s fifth. He improved to 5-11 for his career. It’s no secret he hasn’t much success in sudden death. Make no mistake. Without some clutch stops during a Pens second period onslaught, it never reaches that point. In a lopsided second that saw Pittsburgh outshoot the Rangers 15-4, Lundqvist made 13 saves. His best came with 10 seconds left in regulation when he robbed Lee Stempniak on a two on one. The hair raising moment came when Stempniak toe dragged around a sliding Dan Girardi turning it into a one on one. His shot with Chris Kunitz in front was padded away by a sliding Lundqvist allowing his team to survive.

He stopped all 12 Pens shots in the third and made one more in overtime. Lundqvist finished with 34 saves. Even though the tying goal he allowed to James Neal wasn’t great, Hank’s play stood out. Given the kind of pressure he faced the last two periods, Lundqvist stood up to the challenge outplaying Fleury (24 saves).

The series couldn’t have started out any better. Sharp from the outset after only a day of rest, the Rangers scored twice against Fleury. Pouliot opened the scoring when he took a Girardi outlet and cruised into the Pittsburgh zone and surprised Fleury with a wrist shot stick side at 5:04. For some reason, the Pens were flat. A strong Ranger forecheck forced turnovers. They outscored the Pens 2-0 and outshot them 13-8.

Following a close call in the opposite end, Carl Hagelin beat Pens’ defensemen Olli Maatta and Matt Niskanen to a loose puck behind Fleury’s net. He quickly fed for an open Brad Richards, who outwaited Fleury and finished off a nice forehand deke for his third making it 2-0 with 2:57 remaining. Girardi drew the other assist. The Pens showed frustration by the end of the period with Kunitz taking a holding minor. Sidney Crosby fired the puck after the whistle. For a seventh consecutive game, the Pens’ captain didn’t score a goal.

Whatever momentum the Rangers had died once the second started. Unable to generate anything on what’s become a lifeless power play, they allowed the Penguins to regain confidence. The Pens easily killed all four power plays increasing the Rangers’ futility to 0-for-their-last-25. It’s officially reached Mike Sullivan territory. Scott Arniel hasn’t made any adjustments. At some point during this series, he has to get it fixed. You can’t keep giving the Pens power plays. Astonishingly, they went 0 for 4.

Even though they didn’t score off them, Pittsburgh was able to build momentum. They kept the Rangers pinned in for almost the entire second. It was a fire drill. If not for their penchant for blocking shots along with Lundqvist’s goaltending, they would’ve been blown out. Attacking Pens repeatedly gained easy entry into the Ranger zone creating dangerous chances. After not being able to take advantage, they finally clicked. It was their checking line that got them back in the game. Following a Marcel Goc outlet, Beau Bennett came in two on two and patiently waited before dropping to Stempniak, who beat Lundqvist with a backhand nearside at 7:15.

With Console Energy Center finally alive, even a lazy Jussi Jokinen hooking minor couldn’t prevent the inevitable. The Ranger power play was so bad, it could’ve been sponsored by Looney Tunes. Fleury never saw one shot. It was pathetic. Once teams were back at full strength, it didn’t take long for the Pens to even it. Off some strong defensive work from Evgeni Malkin, Jokinen came in and dropped for Neal, whose wrister from the right circle went off Lundqvist and bounced in. Lundqvist immediately protested. On the play, he had Malkin in front swinging his stick at the puck in mid air. Replays confirmed that he never touched it allowing the Pens to tie it with 6:32 left. Malkin’s stick did touch Lundqvist’s glove but I had no issue with it. He lost concentration and forgot about the puck.

With the game tied at two, the Pens searched for the go-ahead. But it never came. Lundqvist held his team in. He delivered money stops. The Pens cycle was so aggressive that they skated circles around the Rangers. It was scary. They really dominated. Thanks to the goalie, the Blueshirts escaped the period still tied.

The third was better played. Forced to kill a fourth Pens power play following a lazy trip from top penalty killer Brian Boyle, the Rangers buckled down. Despite constant pressure, Pittsburgh never got the perfect set up required to beat Lundqvist. He saw every shot. That included a dangerous try from Malkin which he harmlessly gloved away. He bailed out Marc Staal, who passed the puck right to Malkin. For the most part, Staal was strong. It was just one of those nervous moments that had me going crazy.

Unlike the second where they mustered nothing, the Rangers were able to test Fleury. He made eight saves including a key one on Derek Stepan with Rick Nash in front. Once again, Nash failed to score. Aside from two shaky defensive shifts, he was fine. It would be nice if Stepan could fire a shot cleanly. He almost always fans. He’s been getting chances every game. Despite a good effort from Martin St. Louis, the top line didn’t factor in.

The Rangers were able to put together some good shifts. When they weren’t pinned in by the Pens’ top line, the fourth line did a solid job. As they’ve demonstrated throughout, Boyle, Dominic Moore and Derek Dorsett didn’t hurt them. Neither did the Brassard unit, who sprung to life with their best postseason performance. It was fitting that they would generate the OT winner. Pouliot made the play behind the net and Brassard played the hero. The end result was a huge win allowing them to take a 1-0 series lead.

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Henrik Lundqvist, NYR (34 saves incl. 13/15 in 2nd, 12/12 in 3rd)

2nd Star-Benoit Pouliot, NYR (goal-3rd of postseason, assist, +1 in 23 shifts-15:39)

1st Star-Derick Brassard, NYR (scored overtime winner at 3:06, +1 in 24 shifts-15:55)