Miller, Rangers Comeback From 2-0 Down to Win

Last night, the New York Rangers defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-2. At one point, the Rangers were down 2-0 at the end of the 1st period. However, the Rangers played crisp hockey after against a team that was looking to tie the Rangers in the Metropolitan division. Instead, the Rangers extended their lead in the division to 4 points with the win.

The Rangers got off to a slow start in this one. Antti Raanta gave up two first period goals to Jake Guentzel. The first goal came 1:02 into the game while the second at the 13:12 mark. The Rangers, who had lost the previous two games, were on the verge of giving up their division lead to the Penguins.

However, the 2nd period started and the Rangers started answering back. Rick Nash cut the lead to 2-1 4:51 in the period with his 8th goal of the season. Michael Grabner then tied the game at 2-2 with his 12th with 5:37 to play in the period. Then with 49 seconds left and the Penguins on a power play, Kevin Hayes went to center a wild pass to J.T. Miller. The puck went off Penguins Kris Letang and Evgeni Malkin before getting to Miller. Miller then put it past Marc-Andre Fleury for the shorthanded goal, his 8th of the season to put the Rangers up 3-2.

Miller scored the game winner on a shorthanded goal.
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

The Rangers made it 4-2 at the 12:46 mark of the 3rd period on Kevin Hayes' 9th goal. Hayes had both a goal and an assist in this one. Derek Stepan scored his 3rd of the season on an empty net goal at the 18:37 mark to secure the Rangers 5-2 victory. 

The Rangers play the Penguins again on Wednesday night in the 2nd leg of a home-and-home stand. Tomorrow's game returns to Madison Square Garden. The Rangers will be looking to secure an even bigger lead in the Metropolitan division tomorrow night while the Penguins look to cut the division lead down to 3 or 2 points.