After a stinker on an effort in Game 4 on Monday in Pittsburgh, the Rangers returned home to try and avoid a quick exit in their first round series with the Penguins.
Pittsburgh took a 2-0 lead on a goal from Jake Guentzel in the first period, and a strike from Kris Letang in the middle frame.
New York rallied the middle frame to gain a 3-3 tie heading to the third period.
Filip Chytil hit for the game-winner off the power play to give the Rangers a 4-3 lead.
“It was just some bounce there,” Chytil said. “I don’t even know how it gets to me but probably the whole season I didn’t score many goals (eight in 67 regular-season games), so not thinking too much with the chances, and now I just close my eyes and just shoot and score a goal finally. I was so happy to help the team.”
Ryan Lindgren added a late empty-net goal to ice the win, 5-3, and force a Game 6 in Pittsburgh on Friday.
“That’s what he is. He’s a character guy,” Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said. “He plays hurt, he plays all the time. I don’t know how many minutes he played tonight, but it seemed like he was on the ice all night. Just one of those guys that makes everyone around him better.”
Igor Shesterkin made 28 saves in the Rangers win.
“We were not happy with what happened in Pittsburgh,” Chytil said. “… We just had a good meeting, good practice yesterday and we just believed today that we were going to win and go back to Pittsburgh.”
Sidney Crosby did not ice in the third period, he left the game in the middle frame with an apparent upper body injury.
“Obviously, you don’t want to see anyone get hurt, and obviously ‘Sid’ is a real important player for us,” the Penguins’ Teddy Blueger said. “Throughout the course of the year, we played without him and done pretty well. We battle through injuries, so I don’t think it’s anything we can’t overcome.”
Trailing 0-2 in the second, the Rangers rallied for three straight goals.
“We were comfortable for the majority of the game,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “We felt like we had complete control of it. Give the Rangers credit, they pushed.”
Adam Fox scored in the second period to get New York on the board at 3-2-1.
“We knew they were going to push,” Guentzel said. “The fourth one is always the hardest one to get. We had to stay with it. We knew if they had a chance they were going to get the crowd into it. for us it’s just move onto the next one.”
Alexis Lafreniere tied the game, 2-2 in the second period.
“We believe in our group,” Lafreniere said. “… We were down 3-1 (in the series) but I think we weren’t playing that bad. Played a really good one tonight when we needed it the most, so it was a really good team effort.”
Guentzel’s second goal of the game came in the second period to tie the game, 3-3, after New York scored three straight to take a 3-2 lead.
“I think [there were] a couple of defensive breakdowns that they made us pay for,” Pittsburgh’s Teddy Blueger said. “Obviously, momentum swings quick and things change, so after we gave up the first one, we have to do a better job of putting that behind us and not letting the momentum shifts affect us as much. But obviously ‘Guentzy’ scored a big goal for us and got us right into it, and we were still in a pretty good spot going into the third.”
Louis Domingue made 31 saves in the Pens loss.
“We’ve got plenty of leaders on the team that have been through a lot,” Guentzel said. “You never want to see a player like that leave, but we’ve got the group to step up. We have a lot of capable guys in the locker room. We’ve got to find a way.”
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