Rangers take commanding 3-1 series lead with OT win over Penguins

In a tightly-played contest – expected, given the stakes – the New York Rangers needed someone to make a play, and that someone was Carl Hagelin.

Hagelin skated around the Pittsburgh Penguins zone, his speed still blazing despite Game 4 having entered overtime. He held the puck, passed it to the point, flew through the zone, took to the puck back from a Martin St. Louis pass, and then made a brilliant backhand shot from the side of the net, through Max Lapierre of the Penguins, across the crease and under Marc-Andre Fleury.

It trickled to Kevin Hayes, who potted it for the game-winner.

(An aside: What the heck was Paul Martin doing on that play? Did he zone out? Was he counting snow piles in the crease?)

The Rangers won the game, 2-1, and lead the series, 3-1.

The Penguins struck first and early, just 2 minutes and 22 seconds into the game. Sidney Crosby fed the puck back to the point to Paul Martin, who passed to Ben Lovejoy, whose shot was tipped home by Patric Hornqvist for his second of the playoffs.

Pittsburgh won the first period for perhaps the first time in the series, dominating in possession.

The Rangers got the equalizer in the second period on a hard-working play by Derick Brassard. After a Rick Nash shot deflected off of him in front of Marc-Andre Fleury (2w saves), Brassard dug the puck off the post, drew it to his forehand and popped it into the goal for the 1-1 tie at 17:15.

Henrik Lundqvist made 22 saves for the win. The Rangers need just one more to advance to the division finals, and to send the Penguins into an offseason of second-guesses and reevaluation.

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