Rangers at Penguins
After recording a franchise-best 25 road victories in the regular season, the visiting New York Rangers can take command of their Eastern Conference second-round series with the Pittsburgh Penguins by winning Game 2 on Sunday. Derick Brassard scored 3:06 into overtime as New York made itself at home on the road with a 3-2 triumph in Friday's series opener. The contest was the fourth in six days for the Rangers, who looked no worse for wear after bolting out to an early 2-0 lead in the first period.
"I think for whatever reason, we didn't come out hard enough," said Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby, who recorded a minus-3 rating, lost 13-of-19 faceoffs and saw his career-high postseason goal-scoring drought reach 12 consecutive games. The Hart Trophy finalist denied being hampered by an injury, although he has failed to play more than 20 minutes in five of his team's seven playoff contests. Crosby averaged 21 minutes, 58 seconds of ice time during the regular season - most among forwards in the league.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, CBC, RDS
ABOUT THE RANGERS: Although the city's tabloids trumpet each passing victory, a story that won't go away for New York is its punchless power play. "We didn't do that much on it," Brad Richards said after the Rangers went 0-for-4 on Friday to extend their scoreless streak to 25 consecutive opportunities. "I know you guys are going to keep talking about it." New York is 3-for-33 on the power play in the playoffs, which is eerily on pace toward last year's 4-for-44 mark that resulted in a second-round ouster by Boston.
ABOUT THE PENGUINS: Coach Dan Bylsma would be wise to invest in a watch as his team perpetually has been plagued by sputtering starts this postseason. While Pittsburgh was able to overcome a pair of troubling beginnings versus Columbus in the first round, Bylsma knows his team is playing with fire. Should the Penguins fall on Sunday, it will mark the team's third opponent in as many postseasons to sweep Games 1 and 2 at Consol Energy Center. Philadelphia (2012) and Boston (2013) accomplished that feat before ultimately eliminating Pittsburgh.
OVERTIME
1. New York attempts to snap its NHL-record 12-game losing streak when holding a series lead.
2. Crosby isn't the only superstar mired in a postseason drought as LW Rick Nash has tallied just once in 20 playoff games with the Rangers.
3. Pittsburgh D Brooks Orpik skated during the team's optional practice on Saturday as he attempts to return from a three-game absence due to an undisclosed injury.