It was a game of historical repeats. Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby was moved to tears in the 10th anniversary tribute to the Penguins’ 2016 Stanley Cup team, many of whom were in attendance to be honored pregame. And a Mike Sullivan-coached team allowed a goal on the first shot against.

However, this time that team was Sullivan’s New York Rangers, and the Penguins quickly jumped upon their former bench boss’s team, taking a 2-0 lead in the first six minutes

The Penguins raced to a 5-1 lead early in the third and endured some garbage time offense for a 6-4 win at PPG Paints Arena. The Penguins have won six in a row and are 13-2-2 since the holiday break ended on Dec. 27.

The final score looked much closer than the actual game, though the Rangers nearly turned a big Penguins lead into a big comeback.

The Rangers have lost 11 of their last 13.

In a running theme Saturday, the Penguins were dogged on the puck. Ben Kindel’s puck pressure created a turnover, and Rutger McGroarty quickly snapped a shot to the net. Anthony Mantha was in the right place at the right time as McGroarty’s shot deflected off Mantha (18) and past goalie Jonathan Quick at 2:37.

First shot, first goal. It’s a story Penguins fans remember quite well, but not with fondness.

The Penguins’ pressure created another turnover before New York could exit the zone. Defenseman Connor Clifton held the blue line and chipped the puck back toward the net, but Connor Dewar knocked it out of the air, and Blake Lizotte quickly moved the fallen puck to a wide-open Noel Acciari (5), who buried a one-timer from the left circle at 6:05 for a 2-0 lead.

The Penguins did not score a power play goal later in the second period, but lit the lamp in the seconds immediately following one. Quick made a brilliant sprawling save on Rickard Rakell as the Penguins’ power play expired, but Rakell gathered the rebound and made an equally brilliant spinning backhand pass to Mantha (19), who popped the puck into the yawning cage at 12:59 for a 3-0 lead.

In the second period, the Penguins’ attack was just outside the danger zone, but so was the puck out of reach for the Rangers. The Penguins did not allow a shot for the first 13:57 of the period.

Then scorers later took away the shot. The Rangers’ first shot of the period didn’t come until 18:28, but that was a power play goal.

After the Penguins had too many men on the ice during a 4v4, Alex Lafreniere (11) squeaked a shot past Penguins goalie Stuart Skinner from below the right circle. Skinner and Lafreniere thought the save was made, but the puck dribbled out of Skinner’s glove across the line, 3-1.

However, the Penguins scored a pair of goals 20 seconds apart to begin the third period.

First, Rickard Rakell was finally rewarded for a prominent game after Rangers forward Will Cuylle took a way-too-obvious holding penalty in the final seconds of the second period.

On the ensuing power play to start the third period, Quick stopped Sidney Crosby in front, but Crosby tapped the rebound to Rakell (10), who chopped the puck into the cage from the left of the crease at 1:20 to make it 4-1.

But wait, there was more.

The Penguins did not exhale after the goal, but further pressed to put the game away. And they did. Defenseman Brett Kulak jumped forward to lead the rush, scooting past Rangers defenders and charging to the net. Noel Acciari (6) converted the rebound at 1:40 to make it 5-1.

The Rangers were looking for a fight for much of the third period–an ask which was not fulfilled. However, Vincent Trocheck (12) scored on a shorthanded breakaway at 9:12 to begin to make the closing minutes a little more interesting, and cut the Penguins’ lead to 5-2.

For the second straight game, the Penguins nearly outshot their opponent and were deep into the third period. However, after taking the big lead, they got a bit sloppy.

Rangers defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov (9) scored on a wicked one-timer from the right circle at 15:15 to pull the Rangers within two, 5-3.

Ben Kindel denied both Mantha and Acciari a hat trick by scoring the empty netter at 17:28.

Lafreniere scored (12) with just 1:07 remaining to make the score a bit closer than the actual game. And Will Cuylle (13) scored with 10 seconds remaining to add just a hint of drama to the final seconds.

In fact, trailing by one goal, the Rangers had an offensive zone faceoff with three seconds remaining, but Acciari won the draw, preserving the win.

Ultimately, Skinner stopped 15 of 20. Quick stopped 29 of 34.

Penguins Notes

The Penguins announced before the game that defenseman Kris Letang will be out at least four weeks with a broken foot. Connor Clifton drew into the lineup in his place.

A few minutes into the second period, the Penguins also lost Justin Brazeau for a spell after Rangers defenseman Matthew Robertson delivered a hard check at center ice, but the puck was not in the area. Brazeau was not expecting the hit from the 6-foot-4, 210-pound defenseman, who was penalized two minutes for interference.

Evgeni Malkin missed practice Friday and his status was termed a game-time decision by Muse Saturday afternoon. Both Malkin and would-be replacement Kevin Hayes took the warmup, but Malkin played.

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