Game 1 roundup - Pens 5, Rangers 4

It was a tale of two halves. The first half of the game saw the Rangers build a 3-0 lead on the Pens, the second half it was all Penguins - storming back to take a 4-3 lead and eventually win the game in regulation, 5-4.

The turning point was at 3:37 of the second when Sean Avery of the Rangers scored the third goal. He celebrated wildly after the puck went into the net and even skated in front of the Pens bench celebrating. This woke the sleeping giant. The Pens played with more intensity from that point forward and shook off the rust that had accumulated during the 9 day layoff.

Note to Mr. Avery - next time you score a goal that puts your team up 3 - zip in a building that is not named Madison Square Garden, you might want to tone down that celebration a bit.

Pens goals by Ruutu, Dupuis, Hossa, Sykora and Malkin.

Ruutu and Dupuis scored 14 seconds apart in the second, Hossa and Sykora scored 20 seconds apart in the third and Malkin got the gamewinner on a Crosby slap shot deflection, a power play goal, at 18:19 of the third.

Much is going to be said tomorrow, in the New York media mostly, about how this was the Rangers game and they should have been able to close it out having the 3 - 0 lead but they got a little comfortable and allowed the Pens to get back in it. That was not the case. Pittsburgh was the team that looked a little too comfortable at the outset of the contest. When they finally got their skates under them, they were able to control the flow and momentum of the game and force the Rangers into a game that New York is not used to playing. This was the true reason for the comeback.

I must say...this looks to be a very entertaining series.

More to come tomorrow...