Penguins 3, Rangers 1

A quick look at the Penguins’ 3-1 the New York Rangers in Game 3 of the first round Tuesday at Madison Square Garden:

*** The victory gives the Penguins a 2-1 lead in the series and restored the home-ice advantage they lost with a 4-2 defeat in Game 2.

*** Rookie goalie Matt Murray, who hadn’t played in 10 days because of an undisclosed injury, stopped 16 of 17 shots in his Stanley Cup playoffs debut. “That’s what he does,” defenseman Ben Lovejoy said. “He’s calm and spectacular in net. He’s a pleasure to play in front of.”

*** Matt Cullen broke a 1-1 tie with an excellent individual effort at 4:16 of the third period for what proved to be the game-winner. Cullen carried the puck across the New York blue line and, as he approached the Rangers’ defense pairing of Keith Yandle and Dan Boyle, nudged it past them. Those two nearly collided and Cullen collected the puck once he got by them, then went to the net and threw a wrist shot past Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist for what proved to be the game-winning goal. “The puck was kind of bouncing a lot tonight,” Cullen said. “It was kind of a tough puck for [Yandle and Boyle] to play. I was just kind of in the right place at the right time.”

*** Sidney Crosby got the Penguins’ first goal, directing a Phil Kessel feed past Lundqvist at 19:18 of the second period. That goal took some of the sting out of a shorthanded goal the Penguins had given to New York’s Rick Nash 39 seconds into the period. “That’s a tough one to give up, shorthanded,” Crosby said. “You don’t want to give those up, especially in the playoffs. Those can hurt you.”

*** The Penguins limited the Rangers to 17 shots on goal, including just four in the third period. “At least in the third period, we didn’t give them anything,” right winger Patric Hornqvist said. “We were always on the right side of the puck. … They couldn’t get their speed going. That’s exactly how we have to play when we get a lead.”

*** Crosby, on the Penguins’ diligent blue-collar performance throughout the game: “We understand that if we want to win games, that’s how we’re going to have to try to win them at this time of year. Our mindset is just playing the right way, doing the things that got us here.”

*** New York appeared to take a 1-0 lead at 12:56 of the opening period, when Chris Kreider threw his own rebound past Murray from the right side of the crease during a power play. The goal was disallowed, however, after the Penguins challenged that the Rangers had been offside when entering the Penguins’ zone.

*** Penguins center Evgeni Malkin does not have a goal in his past nine playoff games, matching the longest drought of his career.

*** Kris Letang’s empty-net goal with 12.1 seconds left in regulation was the 16th of his playoff career, moving him past Larry Murphy and into first place on the Penguins’ all-time list for defensemen.

*** This is the seventh consecutive time the Penguins have won Game 3 after splitting the first two on home ice.

*** Murray was not the only important player to rejoin his team for Game 3. Defenseman Ryan McDonagh, who had missed the first two games because of a right hand injury, returned to the New York lineup and took a regular shift, logging 22 minutes, 48 seconds of ice time.

*** New York has scored first in each of its past five home games against the Penguins.

*** The Penguins are scheduled to practice Wednesday afternoon at Madison Square Garden.