As Penguins look to eliminate Rangers, momentum (and history) are on their side

The Pittsburgh Penguins are about to play the New York Rangers in a playoff elimination game. Momentum is on their side. And so is history.

For the most part.

The two teams have faced each other in the postseason seven times before this spring. The Penguins have won five of those series. Only once have the Pens faced the Rangers and not at least gotten them to the brink of elimination.

That was in 2015 when the top-seeded Rangers only needed five games to dispatch the eighth-seeded Pens, who crept into the Eastern Conference bracket in coach Mike Johnston’s lone season on the bench.

In all of the other series, the Penguins had the Rangers poised to exit the playoffs at least once. And the Pens have a pretty good track record of taking out the Rangers on the first try.

Here’s a closer look.

1989 Patrick Division semifinal

The Penguins won the series in a 4-0 sweep. So, obviously the Pens bounced the Rangers on their first try, eliminating the Blueshirts at Madison Square Garden 4-3.

Mario Lemieux and Rob Brown each had a goal. Phil Bourque scored twice. Tom Barrasso stopped 46 of 49 shots.

1992 Patrick Division final

The Penguins won the series 4-2. After trailing the series 2-1 (don’t get me started on Adam Graves slashing Lemieux), the Penguins won Games 4 and 5 to take a 3-2 advantage. Then they polished off Graves and company on their first try in Game 6 at the Civic Arena by a final score of 5-1. Rick Tocchet had two goals and an assist. Ron Francis had a goal and two assists.

That three-game win streak would start a string of 11 consecutive postseason victories en route to the franchise’s second Stanley Cup.

1996 Eastern Conference semifinal

The Pens won the series 4-1. Again, they were victorious in their first closeout attempt in Game 5 at the Civic Arena, winning a 7-3 romp.

Jaromir Jagr and Mario Lemieux both had hat tricks. Brian Smolinski had the seventh goal.

Sadly, the Penguins would blow both of their elimination game attempts against the Florida Panthers in the next round when, in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference final, Tom Fitzg—

Never mind. I’ve said too much.

2008 Eastern Conference semifinal

The Pens won the series 4-1. Under head coach Michel Therrien, the Pens won the first three games, but lost the first knockout game. Henrick Lundqvist pitched a 29-save shutout and Jagr scored twice as a Ranger against his former team to avoid a sweep and force a Game 5 back in Pittsburgh.

The Penguins won that one, though, 3-2. Marian Hossa scored two of the goals, including an overtime game-winner to clinch the series.

The Pens would then beat the Philadelphia Flyers in five games to claim the East, before losing to the Detroit Red Wings in six during the Stanley Cup final.

2014 Eastern Conference semifinal

The Rangers won the series 4-3 after trailing 3-1. So that means the Pens lost three straight elimination games.

Up three games to one, the Penguins got smoked 5-1 in Game 5, thanks to two goals from (wait for it) Derick Brassard. Game 6 was the famous Mother’s Day game at Madison Square Garden which the Rangers won 3-1 behind a goal from Martin St. Louis, whose mother had died just a few days before. Future Penguin Carl Hagelin got one unassisted as well.

Then, back in Pittsburgh for Game 7, St. Louis assisted on Brad Richards’ eventual game-winner. The Pens lost 2-1. Future Penguin Brian Boyle scored on an assist from former Penguin Dominic Moore for the other goal.

Yeah. That one still stings.

2015 Eastern Conference quarterfinal

See above. The Penguins lost the first game, won the second and then lost the last three. No elimination game for them in play. No need to relive this dog of a series.

2016 Eastern Conference quarterfinal

En route to a fourth Stanley Cup, the Penguins won Mike Sullivan’s first playoff series as the franchise’s head coach 4-1.

They won the first possible elimination game 6-3 in Game 5 at PPG Paints Arena.

Matt Murray stopped 38 of 41. Now a Penguin, Hagelin scored against the Rangers. Bryan Rust scored twice.

So the final tally is the Penguins have won five of seven playoff series against the Rangers. They are 5-4 in elimination-game attempts, with three of those defeats coming in the 2014 series where the Rangers rallied back from a 3-1 deficit.

Which is where they are right now. So most in Pittsburgh are hoping 2022 is a lot more reminiscent of 2016 or 2008 than it was 2014.

And that Brassard, Lundqvist and St. Louis are nowhere near the building.

And that Rust becomes “Mr. Elimination” once more.