Crosby lifts Penguins to even series

Sydney Crosby of Pittsburgh Penguins.

By Jason Mackey/The Pittsburgh Tribune-ReviewSidney Crosby got his familiar wingman back Saturday in Chris Kunitz.Together, they have jolted the Penguins back into this series.Crosby scored a pair of second-period goals and Kunitz finished with a goal and two assists to lead the Penguins to a 4-3 victory over the New York Rangers in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series at Madison Square Garden.“Crosby was the best player on the ice (Saturday),” Penguins center Maxim Lapierre said. “He was awesome. And ‘Kuni’ wasn’t far behind.”It was Crosby’s eighth multiple-goal playoff game, his fifth on the road, and it forced a 1-1 series tie with the top-seeded Rangers.Game 3 is Monday at Consol Energy Center.“We wanted to make sure we went home with one,” Crosby said. “We have to try and build on that momentum at home.”Much like Game 1, the Penguins were frequent visitors to the penalty box.They took seven penalties, but the penalty-killing unit bailed them out, allowing only a Derick Brassard man-advantage goal early in the third period.Brandon Sutter scored a power-play goal in the second period -- the Penguins’ first of this series -- and Kunitz, who had one goal in his previous 22 games, scored perhaps his biggest marker of the season later in the third.“ ‘Kuni’ is a heckuva player for a reason,” defenseman Ian Cole said. “He’s been on this team for a long time. He’s been a leader on this team for a long time. He puts forth an effort and certainly a style of play that I think is beneficial to everyone on this team and obviously beneficial to Sid.“That’s beneficial for everyone. I think you really see them working well together. They’re certainly one of those twosomes that everyone talks about in this league.”Looking to ignite an offense that had scored two or fewer goals in 15 of its previous 22 games, coach Mike Johnston tweaked his lines, reuniting Kunitz with Crosby and dropping Daniel Winnik to Evgeni Malkin’s left wing.The change paid off with Crosby’s sixth multigoal game of the season and his first since Feb. 12 at Ottawa.As a result, the Penguins improved to 34-24 all time in Game 2s, including a 10-13 mark on the road.“We needed that from Sid,” defensemen Ben Lovejoy said. “He’s our best player. He wasn’t satisfied with his effort or the team’s effort in the first game. He threw us on our shoulder. It was a pleasure to watch.”With Crosby ignited, there’s reason for optimism.The Penguins have dropped Game 1 of a best-of-seven series on the road 14 times. In the previous 13, they came back and won the series six times, including six of the past 10.Having Kunitz produce like he did Saturday could be a huge boost.Coming off a career-best, 35-goal season last year, Kunitz has endured several lengthy slumps and had two goals in his previous 34 games.Yet, reunited with Crosby, he produced his ninth multipoint game of the season and first since Feb. 25 at Washington.“(Kunitz) has been a guy I’ve played with for a long time, but we all have to do our jobs out there,” Crosby said. “It was nice we got our feet moving, just like everyone else, and we were able to contribute.”Derek Stepan put the Rangers ahead 1-0 in the first period. Sutter scored, and Crosby got both of his goals in the second: backhanding a Patric Hornqvist rebound and finishing a Kunitz feed. A Kunitz backhander came midway through the third before Rick Nash scored late.