Pens Dominate Rangers, 3-0, Win Back-to-Back Games For First Time Since November

The Penguins finally accomplished something yesterday that has been far too elusive for them lately.

Not a shutout.

Not a perfect score on the PK.

Not a spot among the top 8 in the Eastern Conference.

Although all of these things were true of the Penguins 3-0 victory at home over the New York Rangers yesterday, the most elusive thing they accomplished, by far, was winning back-to-back games for the first time since November.

It still amazes me to sit here and say that a team of Pittsburgh's caliber has gone that long without winning just 2 games in a row, but that's how bad things have been around here lately.

And that's how significant yesterday's dominating performance was. Heck, the victory just didn't give them 2 in a row. The Penguins have now won 3 of their last 4, with one more game left before the All-Star break -- Tuesday against the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Penguins were at their best yesterday. They really had the better of the play most of the game. Chris Minard scored his first goal of the season on a wicked shot that beat Rangers' netminder Henrik Lundqvist about 7 minutes into the game.

They doubled that lead early in the 2nd period when Tyler Kennedy scored, beating Lundqvist to the stick side. Then, Petr Sykora took a wicked breakout pass from defenseman Ryan Whitney and broke in alone on Lundqvist before beating him again to the stick side to give the Penguins a 3-0 lead about 7 minutes into the 2nd period.

That wasn't the only long breakout pass Whitney made yesterday. He sprung center Jordan Staal on a breakaway in the first period, too. Staal made a nice series of dekes on Lundqvist -- and made the move I've been waiting for someone to try on him, looking to spread him open then quickly tuck the puck between his legs -- but King Henrik made the save. If Staal would have went side to side a little wider while stickhandling in alone, he might have been able to sell the move more and score.

Anyway, having Whitney back in there makes a heck of a difference.

The Penguins had a number of other chances, too. For one, center Sidney Crosby, back after missing the Penguins game Friday against the Anaheim Ducks with a knee injury sustained late in Wednesday's game against the Washington Capitals, was awarded a penalty shot in the 2nd period, but he, too, was turned away by Lundqvuist after Crosby tried to shoot high to the glove side. Crosby just didn't get it up enough.

Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 33 shots in recording his 2nd shutout of the season, but wasn't meaningfully tested that often.

Perhaps the best part about the win was that the Penguins didn't collapse in the 3rd. They stuck to their 1-2-2 system and locked down on New York to close things out.

NOTES:

The Penguins revealed yesterday that center Mike Zigomanis will be out 4-6 months after undergoing surgery on Wednesday, 1-14, to repair a torn rotator cuff in his shoulder. Losing Zigomanis for an extended period is somewhat of a blow to the Penguins, because he played real well for the Boys this year when he was in the lineup. His ability to win faceoffs was invaluable. There's a chance he may be back if the Penguins make the playoffs and go into the 3rd round, but only time will tell if those things happen.

Also, in addition to Crosby, defensemen Rob Scuderi and Kris Letang returned to the lineup yesterday after missing the game against the Ducks. Defenseman Alex Goligoski was a scratch, while D Brooks Orpik missed the game with his undisclosed injury.