Rangers unable to complete comeback, fall to Penguins in Game 3

PITTSBURGH — The Rangers’ ‘No Quit in New York’ slogan says it all, but the Penguins had the last word this time. 

After furiously rallying from a three-goal deficit in the first period, the Blueshirts ultimately fell 7-4 to the Penguins following Danton Heinen’s goal in the final frame that broke the tie and blew the roof off a deafening PPG Paints Arena in Game 3 on Saturday night. 

The Rangers now trail the first-round Stanley Cup playoff series 2-1 with Game 4 set for Monday. 

It took trailing 4-1 to elicit some signs of life from the Rangers after a first period that saw the Penguins have their way and score three goals within the game’s first 10 ½ minutes. Pittsburgh was flying up and down the ice and gaining speed through the neutral zone, which was exactly what the Rangers said they needed to limit. 

Post Sports+ members, sign up to have Mollie Walker text you the latest word on the Rangers and reply with your thoughts and questions. Not a Sports+ member yet? Try it now.

The taunting “IIII-GORRRR” chants came early and often from PPG Paints Arena crowd, and the taunts followed the Rangers’ star goalie through the tunnel as he left the ice for the first intermission. When Shesterkin came back out, he took a seat on the bench after allowing four goals on 15 shots, which brought in backup Alex Georgiev for his first appearance of the series at the start of the second. 

“I don’t think we got to our game nearly quick enough,” said Chris Kreider, who teed up Frank Vatrano for a one-timer that ignited the Rangers’ three-goal second-period surge that tied the game at four-all. “I don’t think we were playing together, especially at this point in the season. Effort is not something you question. 

“It’s a matter of working smart, not just hard. Good learning experience for our group, first period at least. First period on the road in the playoffs. Obviously, liked the response, but there’s been moments over the course of the year where we put ourselves in positions like that and have been able to claw back. 

“But that’s not something you can do in the playoffs. Something we have to rectify and rectify quickly.” 

Whether it was Shesterkin getting pulled, the sheer embarrassment of the way the first 20 minutes unfolded or the peskiness of the black-and-yellow-filled crowd, the Rangers suddenly came alive. Gerard Gallant’s message to his team in between periods was simple: 

“Man up,” the Rangers coach said. “They’re a good team we’re playing over there, but there’s no difference. Their rink size is the same length and you’ve got to go out and play the game. Let’s man up and be men about this. We’re not going to die. We’re not going to sit back and let them continue to play like that against us. 

“We came out and we got them pretty good and we battled back into the hockey game.” 

After Vatrano made it a 4-2 game at 6:51, the Rangers began peppering Penguins goalie Louis Domingue. Artemi Panarin wired one from the left faceoff circle to cut the Rangers’ deficit to just one. 

At the rate the Rangers were going in the middle frame, their commanding play showed little doubt that they were going to finish the comeback. 

With rookie defenseman Braden Schneider in the box for hooking, the Rangers penalty kill didn’t miss a beat. In fact, it banged the drum with a game-tying shorthanded goal at 15:59. Kevin Rooney stripped the puck and drove to the net, drawing a penalty and putting a shot on goal in the process before Andrew Copp cleaned up the rebound to tie the game 4-4. 

While the Blueshirts put up five goals on Domingue in Game 2 in New York, the Penguins third-string netminder was fueled by hometown fans, who took it upon themselves to show their faith in him every chance they got. Domingue was stellar in shutting out the Rangers’ three power-play opportunities before finishing with 32 saves. 

Two of those three power plays came in the third period, and Domingue played a key role in keeping the Rangers off the board over the final 20. After Heinen’s goal at 11:02 of the third, Jake Guentzel and Jeff Carter each scored empty-netters to cap the scoring. 

It was far from the first time the Rangers have imploded in a single period and had to bulldoze their way back into a game, something they were able to get away with more often than not during the regular season. 

But Kreider was correct. This isn’t the regular season. This is the playoffs. There’s no getting away with it here. 

“I’m proud of my team, we bounced back and we played hard the rest of the game and it’s unfortunate,” Gallant said. “That’s the way she goes. We’ll get back at them again next game.”