PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Penguins have advanced to the Eastern Conference final.

Marian Hossa scored his second goal of the game in overtime to lift the Pittsburgh Penguins over New York 3-2 on Sunday, eliminating the Rangers in Game 5 of their second-round series.

Hossa scored at 7:10 of overtime and on the power play in the second period, with Sidney Crosby assisting on both goals.

Evgeni Malkin scored the other Pittsburgh goal with a backhanded shot midway through the second.

Lauri Korpikoski and Nigel Dawes both scored in the third period for New York to send the game to overtime.

The Penguins will meet Philadelphia in the next round.

 The Canadian Press 

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Evgeni Malkin deflected Sidney Crosby’s one-timer from the right point on a Pittsburgh power play with 1:41 remaining to finish a frantic comeback, and the Penguins rallied from a three-goal deficit against the New York Rangers for a 5-4 victory in their second-round playoff series opener Friday night.

Petr Sykora and Marian Hossa scored 20 seconds apart early in the third period, and the Penguins shook off Scott Gomez’s tying goal midway through the period for one of best comeback victories in their playoff history.

The Rangers lost for the first time in four road games in these playoffs, an unexpected ending after they seized the momentum and, it seemed, control of the game with a 3-0 lead that looked very safe with star Henrik Lundqvist in net.

OTTAWA - Sidney Crosby sat at the dais, meaty forearms folded in front of him, and tried his best to look serious. A black baseball cap was pulled low over his brow, obscuring a face that had long been used to sell the game, but never to celebrate a playoff series win.

Last night was his first, as he and his fiery band of Pittsburgh Penguins swept a team that had steamrolled them 12 months earlier. Crosby assisted on the opening goal and sealed the outcome with one of his own in a 3-1 win over the Ottawa Senators in their Eastern Conference quarter-final.

It was the first taste of success in the National Hockey League playoffs for Crosby, as it was for many on a team that only averages 28.1 years of age. They will now have time to rest, and to wait.

“It feels great,” Crosby said. “Obviously, it was a different situation last year, and it definitely hurt. We went through some learning experiences there, but responded well here in the first round … we played hard the last four games, and earned it.” Full Story…

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Penguins center Sidney Crosby was scratched from Sunday’s season finale against the Flyers with Pittsburgh playing for the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.Coach Michel Terrien decided to give Crosby the game off, likely as a precautionary measure after their captain missed 28 games with a sprained right ankle. Crosby finished the season with 24 goals and 72 points in 53 games.The Atlantic Division champion Penguins could earn the top spot in the East with a win over the Flyers. The Flyers would be the No. 6 seed with a win.

PITTSBURGH (AP) Sidney Crosby set up goals by Marian Hossa and Evgeni Malkin and the Pittsburgh Penguins, playing at close to full strength for the first time in weeks, moved into first place in the Eastern Conference by beating the New York Rangers 3-1 on Sunday.Marc-Andre Fleury played another excellent game in net, turning aside 26 shots. The Rangers, missing an opportunity to move into fifth place in the conference, controlled much of the play for the final two periods but couldn’t score in the final 56 minutes.Fleury has won his last seven games.

Pittsburgh, PA (Sports Network) - Pittsburgh Penguins superstar forward Sidney Crosby returned to the lineup on Thursday after missing the previous seven games while nursing a high ankle sprain.

Crosby originally suffered the injury on January 18th in Pittsburgh’s 3-0 loss to Tampa Bay. After missing the next 21 games, the reigning Art Ross and Hart Trophy recipient came back on March 4 only to play just three games before aggravating the injury.

In 49 games this season, Crosby has notched 22 goals and 45 assists with a plus-18 rating.

The Penguins, with 95 points, currently occupy the second spot in the Eastern Conference, one point behind idle Montreal for the top seed and four points ahead of New Jersey — which is visiting the Rangers on Thursday — for first place in the Atlantic Division.

UNIONDALE, N.Y. (AP) — Sidney Crosby has ruled himself out for Monday night’s game against the New York Islanders after skating with his teammates in the morning.

Crosby took the ice at Nassau Coliseum and stayed out well after the rest of the Penguins went off to the dressing room. He said his sprained right ankle feels better than it has in some time but that he isn’t in game condition yet.

Crosby’s injured ankle has forced him to miss six straight games and 27 of 30.

Although he wasn’t ready to play Monday versus the also-ran Islanders, the Penguins captain wouldn’t say if he would also sit out Tuesday at New Jersey in a key game against the Devils

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is expected to resume skating this week, TSN of Canada reported Wednesday on its web site.

According to the report, the 20-year-old Crosby could return to the ice as early as Thursday but is not expected to play in the Penguins’ game against the Tampa Bay Lightning later that night.

Crosby returned to the lineup on March 4 after missing 21 games with a high ankle sprain. But after playing in just three games, he began experiencing soreness and has sat out the Penguins’ last three contests.

The reigning winner of the Hart and Art Ross trophies, Crosby originally suffered the injury in a January 18 game against the Lightning. Full Story…

Pittsburgh Penguins superstar center Sidney Crosby will be sidelined at least one week to recover from a high ankle sprain, the team announced Friday.

The reigning Hart Trophy winner, Crosby already has missed 22 games since suffering the injury January 18 against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Penguins (40-24-7) currently have 87 points - one behind the New Jersey Devils (41-24-6) for the top spot in the Eastern Conference.

Pittsburgh has three games over the next seven days; the Penguins host the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday, visit the New York Rangers on Tuesday before returning home two days later to face the Lightning. Full Story…

A sore right ankle is expected to keep Sidney Crosby from playing in Wednesday’s game against the Buffalo Sabres.

The Pittsburgh Penguins captain, who missed 21 games with a high ankle sprain, has two goals and two assists in three games since returning. He made the announcement following the team’s morning skate.

“It’s pretty sore,” Crosby told reporters. “It’s going to drag on a bit. We have a few more days before the next game. If I have to give it some time, I guess this is the best time.”

The Penguins entered Wednesday’s game tied for fourth place in the Eastern Conference with Ottawa. Pittsburgh trailed first-place Montreal by two points. Full Story…