NHL

Rangers sink Pitt, go into Olympics on high note

PITTSBURGH — This was one the Rangers can look back upon with satisfaction and pride throughout the Olympic break.

For this 4-3 shootout victory over the Penguins that ensures the Blueshirts will sit in second place in the Metropolitan Division through the recess was representative of the effort that has come to define the team on its 12-4-1 run since Jan. 4.

“It was definitely a point of emphasis in here for us to go into the break the right way, especially with what had happened [Thursday] night,” Ryan Callahan said, alluding to the club’s lackluster performance in its 2-1 defeat at the Garden to the Oilers the previous evening. “We wanted to correct it right away and leave here with a good taste in our mouths.”

The Rangers competed from start to finish against the Penguins, working hard in all of the dirty areas, scoring twice on the power play and persevering to capture the skills competition after yielding the tying goal with 2:56 remaining in the third period.

“We don’t want to make a habit of allowing teams to get back in games, but I think we responded the right way after [Thursday] night,” said Marc Staal, who was matched in a pitched battle most of the way against Sidney Crosby. “We obviously had been disappointed in that loss and felt it was important to win this one.”

Henrik Lundqvist, who now heads to Sochi, Russia, to reach for the Gold he and Team Sweden won eight years ago in Turin, Italy, was sterling in nets, and goes into the Olympics having won 10 of his past 12 starts, including five straight. He was beaten only by Evgeni Malkin on three Pittsburgh attempts in the shootout while Mats Zuccarello and Brad Richards scored against Marc-Andre Fleury.

“It was a very important game for us after what happened [Thursday] night,” said Lundqvist, repeating what clearly was a team theme. “I thought we played with a lot more determination and energy.

“When you have a long break, you want to end it the right way,” said The King. “You don’t want to go in with a bad feeling.”

The Rangers weren’t perfect, but they were dogged against a most talented division-leading Pittsburgh team they trail by 16 points, but are tied with in the four-game season series at five points apiece.

Benoit Pouliot scored twice, once on the power play. Dan Girardi, a pending free agent whose status will provoke much interest, also got one on the power play as the Rangers scored twice on the man-advantage immediately following faceoff wins by Derick Brassard to negate the Penguins’ two power play goals.

“They have so much skill and they rely on their skill,” Lundqvist said. “Our special teams came up big for us.”

Richards, who talked about how the team’s focus was “on effort and battle level,” sent the Rangers into the break on a victorious note by roofing a wrist shot over Fleury’s blocker to end the penalty-shot exhibition.

It was Richards’ third goal in four shootout attempts this season after he had gone 1-for-12 his first two years as a Ranger, including 1-for-9 his first season, after coming to New York a career 25-for-60 shooter.

“It was really good to get the first one early this year and now I have a whole different feeling,” said Richards, who converted on his first try on Dec. 15. “Two years ago, it just mounted on me, I missed a lot early at home, which made it much tougher, it was like I wanted to find a place to hide in the ice.

“Last year, I had a cloud over my head.”

Friday night, he sent the Rangers into the break on Cloud Nine.