Rangers stay hot on home ice

Associated Press

NEW YORK

Not only are the New York Rangers streaking on home ice, they are picking off some NHL powerhouses in the process.

That trend continued Tuesday night when New York used a four-goal second period to grab control against Pittsburgh and held on for a 4-3 victory over Sidney Crosby and the Penguins — the Rangers’ seventh straight win at Madison Square Garden.

The self-proclaimed “World’s Most Famous Arena” has undergone a major facelift that is only one-third complete, but the Rangers’ newfound success at home is every bit as impressive. Their 7-1-1 start at the Garden is the Rangers’ best since a similar mark in the 1992-93 season.

New York’s past two victories are a shutout win over Philadelphia on Saturday and this one versus Pittsburgh, both division rivals.

“We play six games against these guys, so it’s always a big rivalry,” said Marian Gaborik, who had a goal and assist.

John Mitchell and Brad Richards scored 90 seconds apart in the second, Ryan Callahan joined Gaborik with a goal and assist, and Richards added two assists for New York.

Crosby helped set up James Neal’s first-period goal that gave Pittsburgh a 1-0 lead and assisted on Pascal Dupuis’ goal that made it 4-3 early in the third.

Evgeni Malkin cut Pittsburgh’s deficit to 4-2 with 6.1 seconds left in the second period when he scored off a rebound of Neal’s shot, and Dupuis made it a one-goal game 3:39 into the third. Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 26 shots.