The New York Rangers finished the series with a big win against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the regular season. The heroes of the confrontation were Igor Shesterkin, Artemy Panarin and Vladimir Tarasenko.

The past calendar week has been a busy one for the Rangers and Penguins hockey players – the two former rivals in the first round of the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs had to face each other three-quarters times. Today, their regular season playoffs at the legendary arena “Madison Square Garden” in New York came to an end. In the final face-to-face match of the championship, the Penguins approached best, winning two of three matches against the Blueshirts. But the advantage of the Rangers was home and a much more relaxed psychological state, because Gerard Gallan’s team is not under its responsibility to enter the playoffs – this task has already been officially resolved, this cannot be said about it. Pittsburgh.

Many expected real fantasy from both teams. The NHL press service even released a special announcement material for the Rangers-Penguins meeting, inviting journalists to pick their war heroes who should be watched more closely than anyone else. For example, NHL website columnist Sean P Roark favored Pittsburgh star Evgeni Malkin: “The camera will be glued to him throughout the match, which is unwise.” Tracey Myers, another writer from the NHL website, pointed to Rangers leader Artemy Panarin: “There are so many great options, but I choose him. I would watch how he beat the defenders and have fun, and I would also listen to Panarin talk on the bench with his friends Vladimir Tarasenko and Patrick Kane.”

Both options worked in one way or another. But not as he planned for Evgeni Malkin. A week ago, Gino effectively dealt with the “Guardians” and personally punished Panarin for his optional dismissal, and today the famous Russian striker himself is caught in a sloppy game. Late in the first period, with Pittsburgh already 1-0 down, Malkin was penalized 2-2 for pushing Cops defender Braden Schneider onto the ship. Panarin realized the numerical advantage with great satisfaction.

Khlebushek then celebrated another goal. And that’s exactly what everyone expected last month. Moving from Chicago to the Rangers, Patrick Kane finally helped his old friend and opened a new chapter in the glorious history of the great Kane-Panarin connection.

The material on the NHL website also urged attention to Igor Shesterkin. Well-known journalist Tom Gulitti spoke in favor of the Rangers goalie: “It will be interesting to see what he does when Crosby and Malkin have the puck or during the Pittsburgh majority, how he reads the opponent’s intentions and whether he shoots.”

And there was something to see. Shesterkin found the key against Malkin, Crosby, and all Penguins players in general. 34 shots on target by Rangers were fired by guests from Pennsylvania, but none of them passed the gaze and claws of the Vezina 2022 owner. Loud and drawn “Hesterkin! Shesterkin!” And “Igor! Igor!” He came to Madison Square Garden with enviable regularity. All in honor of one of the best goalkeepers in the world, who today played the tenth “dry” game of his career in the NHL. Pittsburgh’s forwards had a lot of great saves that broke their standings. The highlight, however, was an episode from the third period, when Six blasted Mikael Granlund’s scorpion-style shot. It was this moment that literally blew up all social networks and media.

And the victory turned out to be really beautiful – 6:0. There was another Russian hero’s hand, which they unfairly forgot to mention in the material above on the NHL website. Vladimir Tarasenko, St. After a high-profile exchange from Louis, he adapted perfectly to the new conditions and scored regularly. Today, Vlady scored a goal and an assist, extending his winning streak to three straight games. Obviously, it was in everyone’s interest for the Russian player to be in the top three with Panarin and Zibanejad.

In confirmation of Vladimir’s words, he pursued his goal at the start of the second period, when the “Guardians” performed the three-in-one output perfectly.

As a result of the turmoil in New York, the Rangers strengthened their positions in the East and in the Capital Division. “Pittsburgh” is also fighting hard to make it to the playoffs.