NEW YORK — Mike Rupp shook off a leg injury in the third period, snapped a tie with his second goal of the night, and then completed his first NHL hat trick to help the Pittsburgh Penguins break a long losing streak at Madison Square Garden and sweep a home-and-home series from the New York Rangers with a 5-2 victory on Monday night.
Rupp’s first goal gave Pittsburgh a 2-1 lead in the second period and his second made it 3-2 with 8:46 remaining. Rupp left the ice for the dressing room about 51/2 minutes earlier after he banged his left leg against the boards after being hit from behind by defenseman Dan Girardi.
Rupp scored into an empty net with 1:40 remaining to give him a career-high eight goals.
Pittsburgh improved to 3-0 this season against the Rangers, including an 8-3 win at home on Saturday night. Sidney Crosby, who had a hat trick and five points in that one, netted his 16th and 17th goals of the season and added an assist Monday.
Crosby made it 4-2 with 4:09 left, and Jordan Staal had two assists for the Penguins, who had dropped eight straight to New York on the road since March 19, 2007.
Pittsburgh has won six in a row against the Rangers, dating to last season.
Marc-Andre Fleury made
29 saves.
Marian Gaborik scored both Rangers goals to push his NHL-leading total to 21, but New York dropped its third straight.
Henrik Lundqvist stopped
28 shots.
Notes: Penguins LW Matt Cooke served the first half of his two-game suspension, delivered by the NHL after his hit to the head of Rangers C Artem Anisimov on Saturday. Anisimov was back in the lineup for the rematch. ... Pittsburgh D Jay McKee returned after missing six games (finger infection). ... Rupp scored the Stanley Cup-winning goal for New Jersey in 2003. ... Gaborik has five two-goal games this season.
Local Sports
Pens pummel host Rangers
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T-D Sports Podcast 2/11/12
Sports editor Chris Morelli and staffer Shawn Curtis bounce across the Pittsburgh sports landscape as they discuss reports that the Pittsburgh Steelers won’t be bringing back Hines Ward, Jordan Staal’s return to the Pittsburgh Penguins’ lineup and the ongoing battle of wills in a prospective trade that would bring pitcher A.J. Burnett to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
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Boiling over: Boiling Springs hands Bedford a defeat in Class AA semis
Friday started well for Bedford’s wrestling team.
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Ferndale captures win in Jess Ambroe Classic
The listed opponent for Northern Cambria in Friday night’s Laurel Mountain varsity hockey game at Cambria County War Memorial was Ferndale.
What the Reapers encountered was an emotional and purple-clad Jess’ Army.
The Yellow Jackets were able to cultivate the emotion and high spirits to a 7-1 win in the second Jess Ambroe Classic. -
[VIDEO] Muha hits milestone in Shade's loss
As the lone senior on a Shade girls basketball squad that also doesn’t have any juniors, Becca Muha has learned to lead by example.
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Rams roll past Blue Jays
It had been a while since the Richland Rams had played a varsity hockey game. Though the Rams’ last action came on Jan. 12, Richland showed little rust as it trounced Conemaugh Valley 12-1 Friday evening at Cambria County War Memorial.
Richland (7-3-2) posted four goals in the game’s first 4:33 as it buried the Blue Jays (1-14) early. -
High school basketball in brief
A closer look at Friday's boys and girls high school basketball games:
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Mountain Cats look to get Pecora closer to No. 500
In some ways, it’s the perfect time for Pitt-Johnstown wrestling coach Pat Pecora to be reflective.
After all, his eighth-ranked Mountain Cats will be holding their final home match this evening when Anderson visits at 7 p.m. Pecora will be saying goodbye to six seniors, which is always an emotional time for him.
But he’s not ready to look back on his legendary career, even as he closes in on his 500th career win. -
Judge sets May trial date in Sandusky abuse case
A judge said Friday he would decide soon whether to grant former Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky greater freedom – and visits from his young grandchildren – while he awaits trial on child sex-abuse charges, but prosecutors countered that Sandusky’s home is not a safe place for children.
Judge John Cleland set a tentative trial date of May 14 for Sandusky and promised to rule quickly on a number of other issues, including dueling requests for changes to his bail restrictions. -
Jordan Staal expected to return to Pens’ lineup today
Jordan Staal’s left knee is fine. His face, however, could use some work.
The Pittsburgh Penguins center plans to play today against Winnipeg in his first game since injuring the knee in a loss to the New York Rangers on Jan. 6.
The road back has gone smoothly enough until Staal started practicing with his teammates this week. -
UPDATED Bedford advances in PIAA wrestling in odd way
It’s not often that a team can win a match at the PIAA Class AA Dual-Meet Championships while giving up two forfeits, but that’s exactly what Bedford did this afternoon at the Giant Center.
In fact, the Bisons won 30-29 over Pen Argyl because they forfeited.
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T-D Sports Podcast 2/11/12
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