Penguins top Rangers in 3OT in Game 1 of Eastern First Round

NEW YORK -- Evgeni Malkin scored 5:58 into the third overtime, giving the Pittsburgh Penguins a 4-3 win against the New York Rangers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.

Malkin scored in front when he tipped a John Marino wrist shot.
"It's not easy for everyone," Malkin said. "… It's a hard, physical game and is like, who is stronger right now? Both teams tried to win. I hope we rest tomorrow. We know it will be a physical and tough series."

Igor Shesterkin made 79 saves for the Rangers, the second most in a Stanley Cup Playoff game since 1955-56, when shots on goal began being tracked.
"I mean, he made like 80 saves or whatever it was, so obviously he was good," New York forward Ryan Strome said. "He's done it all year. Our best player, and he showed it tonight. He did]*
With the score 3-3, Filip Chytil of the Rangers had a goal overturned with 3:10 remaining in the third period after the Penguins challenged for goaltender interference.
"Tough, you want those calls to go your way," Strome said. "Game happens so fast. ... I thought it was a call that could go either way. To look back on something like that now, I mean, it was a three-overtime game, so you could look back on many small plays in the game."
Fox gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal through traffic at 9:19 of the first period. It was his first NHL playoff goal.
Copp made it 2-0 lead at 3:08 of the second period on a one-timer on a pass from Strome.
Guentzel pulled the Penguins within 2-1 at 4:32 from in close on a pass from Crosby.
Guentzel's second goal tied it 2-2 at 11:47 after Crosby drew two defenders and sent a backhand pass to Guentzel, who scored from in close.
Chris Kreider gave the Rangers a 3-2 lead with a shorthanded goal at 17:07 on a 2-on-1 with Zibanejad.
Rust tied it 3-3 at 18:50 at the side of the net on a 5-on-3 power play.

The Penguins outshot the Rangers 23-8 in the second period.
"Great game by two teams," New York coach Gerard Gallant said. "Thought the first 25 minutes we were real good, dominated that part of the game and then they come back in the second and they played really well after that. It was one of those games, three overtime periods, it's tough to lose like that, but you get back on the horse and get ready for the next game."
Domingue, who got his first NHL playoff win, played two games for the Penguins during the regular season, when he was the third-string goalie behind DeSmith and Tristan Jarry, who is out with a lower-body injury. It was Domingue's second playoff game; he made seven saves in relief for the Tampa Bay Lightning during a 4-2 loss to the Washington Capitals in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final on May 7, 2018.
"It's something you prepare for as a backup," Domingue said. "You have to be ready at all times, and the guys played super well in front of me for the time I was in there and I thought Casey gave us a [heck] of a chance to win that game or put us in a position to actually go to overtime."
The Penguins also played without forward Rickard Rakell (undisclosed) for the final five periods after he left the game following a hit by Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren late in the first.
"It's a character win," Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said. "I just think so highly of our players and our leadership. I just think believe these guys are capable of so much and we have a high-character group, and I think that was on display on a game like tonight."
NOTES: Joonas Korpisalo made 85 saves for the Columbus Blue Jackets against the Lightning in Game 1 of the 2020 first round, won by the Lightning 3-2 in the fifth overtime. … Crosby has 124 playoff assists, tied with Sergei Fedorov for eighth in NHL history. … Penguins defenseman Kris Letang played a game-high 46:41. Fox and fellow defenseman K'Andre Miller each played a Rangers-high 44:28. … New York has won 10 of 39 best-of-7 series when losing Game 1; Pittsburgh has won 23 of 31 such series when winning Game 1.