PITTSBURGH – Neal Pionk is apparently OK after he took a stick in the eye from Sidney Crosby in the final minute of the second period. The defenseman left the game with 12.3 seconds left in the period and did not return. After the game, Rangers coach David Quinn said Pionk was held out for “precautionary reasons.’’
Crosby was assessed a double-minor for high sticking. The Rangers did not score on the four-minute power play.
As it happened, the Rangers had dressed seven defensemen for the fourth straight game, and so, after Pionk got hurt, Brendan Smith – who had been playing left wing on the fourth line – was able to drop back on defense to take Pionk’s place.