Panarin scores in OT, Rangers eliminate Penguins in Game 7

NEW YORK --Artemi Panarin scored a power-play goal 4:46 into overtime, and the New York Rangers eliminated the Pittsburgh Penguins with a 4-3 win in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference First Round at Madison Square Garden on Sunday.

New York, which forced Game 7 after trailing 3-1 in the series and winning Games 5 and 6 by identical 5-3 scores, will face the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round.
"I don't think I've heard this building louder than 'Artie's' OT goal," Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad said. "I could not hear what I was thinking. … We didn't want the season to end. I think this has been our team all year."
Panarin scored from the top of the right circle past the glove of goalie Tristan Jarry. New York was on the power play after defenseman K'Andre Miller drew a holding penalty on Brock McGinn as he drove to the net.
"I don't really score that many goals, so I'd say all of them are pretty, pretty big," said Panarin, who has scored three goals in the postseason. "Honestly, [my teammates have] been letting me shoot since the first game. Kind of my bad, I haven't really been making those shots, but maybe I should listen to everyone's advice and actually get out there and take shots."

Chris Kreider scored, Zibanejad had a goal and two assists, and Andrew Copp had two assists for the Rangers, the No. 2 seed in the Metropolitan Division who advanced to the second round for the first time since 2017.
Igor Shesterkin made 39 saves and went 4-2 in seven starts with a 3.66 goals-against average and .910 save percentage in the series.
"He's done that all year for us," said Zibanejad. "He really gives us a chance to win every game. … They're going to get chances and we know who we have back there, and we trust him. He has such a calm presence back there. It just gives us that confidence to go get that next one. We just need one (goal)."
Evan Rodrigues had a goal and an assist, and Jake Guentzel scored his eighth goal of the playoffs for the Penguins, the No. 3 seed in the Metropolitan. Pittsburgh has not won a postseason series since defeating the Philadelphia Flyers in six games in the 2018 Eastern Conference First Round.
Sidney Crosby had an assist in 19:54 of ice time after missing Game 6 due to an upper-body injury.
"I don't know, I think we played the right way," Crosby said. "You look at Game 5, we had a tough span of a few minutes. Game 6, probably even a shorter span when they get back in the game. Tonight, we were just on the wrong end of some bad bounces.
"We played a great game tonight. We played some great hockey throughout the series. We didn't get that next one tonight and that was probably the difference … but tonight was an example of one game, anything can happen, and we didn't get that extra goal there late in the game."
Jarry made 26 saves in his first start since sustaining a lower-body injury April 14 against the New York Islanders.
"I think that just being able to play, I was grateful for that," Jarry said. "… Just trying to work back as quick as I could. It was obviously tough watching. Casey (DeSmith) and Louis (Domingue) did a great job, but obviously, you want to be in there and battling with them every night. That's something that hurt the most, just not being able to be out there and go to battle with the guys."

DeSmith started Game 1 but left in the second overtime after sustaining a core muscle injury and underwent surgery May 6. Domingue replaced DeSmith and made 17 saves in the Penguins' 4-3 triple-overtime win. He went 3-3 with a 3.65 GAA and .898 save percentage in five starts.
"Sometimes we had leads, sometimes they had leads. … It's hockey," Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. "They're a balanced team. They've got a dynamic power play. They've got one of the best goalies in the league. … Give the Rangers credit. Congratulations to them. They're a heck of a hockey team. It was a hard-fought series."
Zibanejad tied the game 3-3 at 14:15 of the third period, taking a pass from Copp and scoring top shelf from the right circle.
"They find a way. I'm really proud of them," Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said. "I knew tonight was going to be a battle. We talked about the seventh being game at home. We fell behind at home but found a way to battle back."
Rodrigues gave the Penguins a 3-2 lead with a shorthanded goal at 17:24 of the second period, scoring on a breakaway just as a penalty to Bryan Rust for cross-checking Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba was expiring.
Guentzel made it 2-1 at 10:18 with a power-play goal. The Penguins forward was atop the crease and kicked the pass from Rust up in the air before batting the puck into the net. The goal was reviewed for a high stick, but the call on the ice was confirmed.
"It's disappointing," Guentzel said. "I mean, we're right there. We put ourselves in a good spot being up 3-1 (in the series). It's just disappointing to think about, that we had a lead in each game and kind of gave that way. This is an amazing group, we believed the whole time and it just didn't go our way."
Miller tied it 1:05 later to make it 2-2 when his point shot went off Penguins forward Jeff Carter and defenseman Mike Matheson and past Jarry at 11:23.
Kreider gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead at 7:36 of the first period, finishing a 2-on-1 with a one-timer and Danton Heinen tied it 1-1 with a power-play goal at 18:51. The NHL situation room stopped play after determining that the puck completely crossed the goal line.
NOTES: Kreider tied Mark Messier for the second most playoff goals in Rangers history (29) behind Rod Gilbert (34), and tied Anders Hedberg for the 10th most playoff points in Rangers history (46). … Penguins forward Rickard Rakell had four shots on goal and one hit after missing five games with a lower-body injury. … Crosby tied Jaromir Jagr for fifth on the NHL's all-time playoff points list (201). The assist, the 130th of his career, moved Crosby into sole possession of fifth on the NHL's all-time assist list. … Rangers defenseman Adam Fox (10 points; three goals, seven assists) became the fourth defenseman in NHL history with at least one point in all seven games of a series, joining Miro Heiskanen (Dallas Stars, 2020 Stanley Cup Second Round), Larry Murphy (Penguins, 1995 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals), and Paul Reinhart (Calgary Flames, 1984 Smythe Division Finals). Fox is the first skater in Rangers' history to accomplish the feat. … Guentzel had eight goals, the most by a player in a single round since Crosby and Alex Ovechkin each had eight in the 2009 Eastern Conference Semifinals. … New York is 8-1 at home in Game 7s.