There was one more victory salute at center ice, one more chance for Jaromir Jagr, named the night’s second star, to bathe in the adulation of a Garden crowd that chanted his name during the match and suddenly doesn’t want him to go anywhere else next year.
There were two more goals for Jagr, now the leading scorer in the playoffs, and there was one more win for the Rangers . . . one more win that keeps the Blueshirts alive and gives them one more chance to win one more game on Sunday afternoon in Pittsburgh.
Yes, Sidney, there will be a Game 5 – or, as Jagr, who scored the first and last goals in last night’s 3-0 triumph, said, “The next game will be Game 7 for us just like this was a Game 7.
“Pittsburgh was playing Game 4 and we were playing Game 7. Maybe next time they’ll be a little more nervous. Hopefully they will be. I don’t know.
“Now we have a chance. We know that. Maybe they do too.”
The Rangers did themselves proud with their most complete effort of the tournament, even if they committed too many defensive zone turnovers over the course of a tentative first 20 minutes.
But they survived because of the outstanding work of Henrik Lundqvist, whose first-star, 29-save night included a penalty shot save on Evegni Malkin with 2:07 to go in the second and the Rangers holding a 1-0 lead Jagr had given them at 12:45 by cutting to the middle off a left wing rush to beat Marc-Andre Fleury.
“That save on Malkin was huge,” said Jagr, who flashed a wide grin before posing a question. “Does anyone know who is the last player to score on a penalty shot in the playoffs against the Rangers?”
The answer, which he of course knew full well, is Jagr himself, who as a Penguin turned the trick against John Vanbiesbrouck in Game 5 of the 1992 second round.
Last night’s game will be known for Jagr’s possible farewell performance and for Lundqvist’s excellence, and as well for the Rangers’ poise and passion while facing playoff elimination.
“After the way we played in Game 3, we had confidence we could beat them,” said Brandon Dubinsky, whose spinning power play goal at 0:44 of the third made it 2-0. “We just wanted to make sure that we played our game.
“We didn’t want to fall into the trap of trying to do too much. We wanted to make sure we left it all on the ice.”
Chris Drury, who played with bruised ribs, was outstanding. Dubinsky played with controlled fury. Brendan Shanahan had his best game since the opening two matches against the Devils. Marc Staal continued to step up.
The Rangers played with emotion, and yet they played with discipline. Sidney Crosby was no factor at all. Jagr was a factor every shift.
“This is what I enjoy the most – playing hockey when everything is on the line; I’ve always enjoyed that all my life,” said Jagr, whose three-point night gives him 15 (5-10) for the tournament. “This is when every play can change everything.
“For me, right now, I’m enjoying the moment. We have the chance to play more hockey. That’s all.”
For this night, that’s everything.
Rangers 3 Penguins 0