The three-game win streak the Rangers took into their Sunday night game in Pittsburgh had been built against two reeling clubs in the Buffalo Sabres and New Jersey Devils. So their matchup against the Penguins represented a step up in class.
Mika Zibanejad’s third goal of the season, and first at even strength, got the Rangers off to a great start, giving them the early lead, just 1:18 into the game. But the Penguins blitzed the Rangers with three goals in 61 seconds late in the first period, chasing goaltender Alexandar Georgiev, and added a couple more late in the third period to beat the Blueshirts, 5-1, putting an end to the Rangers’ winning streak.