Morozov gets second consecutive OT goal

WERE YOU THERE?

Did you attend this game? If so, start chronicling your sports memories today with ESPN's Sports Passport. Enter the games you attend, upload your photos and share your memories! I was there »

Game Information

Arena: Mellon Arena Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Referees: TomKowal, DanO'Rourke Linesmen: DavidBrisebois, JonnyMurray

Attendance: 12,307 (72.6% full)

Team Stat Comparison
206	Goals	190
250	Goals Against	303
46	Power Play Goals	65
80	Power Play Goals Allowed	84
6	Shorthanded Goals	7
8	Shorthanded Goals Allowed	15
1459	Penalty Minutes	1270
18	Average Penalty Minutes	15

Scoring Summary
1ST PERIOD			NYR	PIT
5:14		Lasse Pirjeta (Power Play) Assists: Ric Jackman, Aleksey Morozov	0	1
11:28		Josh Green Assists: Mark Messier, Fedor Tyutin	1	1
13:10		Martin Strbak Assists: Milan Kraft, Jon Sim	1	2
2ND PERIOD			NYR	PIT
No scoring this period			1	2
3RD PERIOD			NYR	PIT
2:18		Garth Murray Assists: Dan LaCouture, Mike Green	2	2
2:34		Bobby Holik Assists: Fedor Tyutin, Boris Mironov	3	2
18:45		Dick Tarnstrom (Power Play) Assists: Aleksey Morozov, Ric Jackman	3	3
OT			NYR	PIT
4:52		Aleksey Morozov (Power Play) Assists: Lasse Pirjeta, Dick Tarnstrom	3	4

PITTSBURGH (AP) -- The Pittsburgh Penguins have had the NHL's worst record for months. That may be about to change.

Aleksey Morozov's power-play goal with 7.9 seconds left in overtime lifted Pittsburgh to a 4-3 victory over the New York Rangers Sunday, moving the Penguins within three points of Columbus, which beat Vancouver later Sunday night.

Pittsburgh is unbeaten in six home games (5-0-1-0) and 7-1-1-0 in its last nine overall.

"It's good still if it comes late," Morozov said of the Penguins' surge after scoring an overtime power-play goal for the second consecutive game. "I know it's too late to make a difference for the playoffs, but we want to keep going to the end and we're looking forward to next season."

The Rangers' winless streak reached six (0-3-0-3) in a game marked by bad penalties and the ejection of captain Mark Messier.

Jaromir Jagr was in the penalty box for roughing Dan Focht late in the third period, leading to Dick Tarnstrom's game-tying power-play goal with 1:15 to play in regulation. Boris Mironov's hooking penalty away from the play with 30 seconds left in overtime led to Morozov's 15th goal of the season.

Taking a pass from Lasse Pirjeta and scoring in his fifth consecutive game, Morozov's goal also gave the Penguins a team record-tying seventh overtime victory.

"We made some careless mistakes and took some selfish penalties, and that can't happen," New York's Dan Lacouture said. "We came out strong in the third period and battled back, and then we took penalties at the end that obviously cost us the game."

Messier was ejected at 6:13 of the second period for spearing defenseman Martin Strbak in front of the Pittsburgh net during a Rangers power play. Moments earlier, Strbak had cross-checked Messier near the bottom of the left circle in the Penguins' zone.

Messier refused comment on the play, but Strbak said he was surprised to get a stick from Messier in the abdomen.

"I respect Mark Messier. He's a great hockey player, a legend," said Strbak, who stayed down on the ice for some time but did not leave the game. "I don't know what happened. I just gave him a little push from behind. I can't understand why he reacted like he did."

Messier, also given an automatic game misconduct, cannot return to the New York lineup until a hearing is held on the penalty, according to league policy. The Rangers host the Penguins on Tuesday.

"That's an old, wily veteran taking a young guy to task," New York coach Tom Renney said. "That's the way it is. It's unfortunate because we had to shorten down to three centers."

Garth Murray and Bobby Holik scored 16 seconds apart early in the third period to give New York a 3-2 lead.

Murray, playing his 14th NHL game, scored his first goal at 2:18 of the third when he fired a slap shot from the far edge of the left circle past goaltender Jean-Sebastien Aubin to tie the game 2-2.

Holik was credited with his 22nd goal when his shot from the high slot was stopped by Aubin but then bounced off the skate of Focht and into the net.

Pirjeta put the Penguins ahead 1-0 five minutes into the first period with his first goal in 33 games.

Josh Green tied it at 11:28 with his first goal with the Rangers, beating Aubin from the bottom of the right circle after taking Messier's three-on-one pass.

Strbak restored Pittsburgh's lead 1:42 later when his 50-foot one-timer trickled through Dunham's pads. It was Strbak's fifth goal of the season and first in 19 games.

Game notes
The Rangers scratched Jed Ortmeyer and Joel Bouchard. ... The Penguins have scored a power-play goal in 10 consecutive games, their longest such streak since Oct. 12-Nov. 2, 2002. ... New York's Jamie Lundmark has gone 41 games without a goal.