PITTSBURGH — The Rangers indulged in a delicious win against a division rival on Thanksgiving Eve.
Feasting on a gutsy 1-0 victory over the Penguins on Wednesday night at PPG Paints Arena, the Blueshirts pieced together a convincing 60-minute performance in which backup Jonathan Quick served up a shutout against Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Co.
“I think in general we’ve been winning those tight games,” Quick told The Post after recording his 60th career shutout to tie Pekka Rinne for the 19th most in NHL history, a feat that no other American-born goaltender has achieved.
“It starts with our team commitment to defense and the way we play in our D-zone. We take care of that zone and then we go from there. We have enough skill up front that if we take care of the D-zone, we’re going to create chances at the other end.”
In his first start in 10 days, Quick was at the top of his game from puck drop to the final whistle.
He ultimately stopped all 32 shots he faced in his second shutout as a Ranger, which also made him just the second goaltender in franchise history to earn a point in each of his first six or more decisions with the team.
The 37-year-old looked like the future Hall of Famer that he is. He was vintage Jonathan Quick.
No, he was better.
“He’s been outstanding,” head coach Peter Laviolette said of Quick. “Today might have been his best. He was really sharp. As the game pressed on there, they’ve got some guys who can really create out there and he had to make some big saves. There was a backdoor leg save, a save right at the end of the game. Just an outstanding job.”
Alexis Lafreniere brought the main dish as the lone goal scorer of the night, while the Rangers penalty kill cleaned up the mess with a perfect 5-for-5 showing, including two late-game penalties that could’ve changed the entire trajectory of the game.
This was an identity-shaping win that required all hands on deck against a depleted Pittsburgh team that was desperately trying to stop its slippage in the standings.
Every block mattered. Every hit mattered. Every save mattered.
The Rangers haven’t been on the winning side of too many 1-0 games in recent years.
In fact, they only had one last season and it was an overtime victory.
There was only one the year before that, and zero the year before that.
As a high-scoring team, it makes sense, though this Rangers team is collecting wins in ways it hasn’t before.
“I just think we’re doing anything it takes to win right now,” Ryan Lindgren said. “Guys were diving in front of shots tonight. You can’t say enough about Quickie, too. He made some incredible saves. Guys are doing anything right now to keep the puck out of the net and that shows a lot about our team.”
It was a one-goal game for roughly 55 minutes, throughout which both clubs had spurts of pressure.
There was no shortage of action as each team — both without key members of their lineup — hustled to break open a game that turned into a goalie duel.
The Rangers were relentless and aggressive in their pursuit of the puck. It allowed Lafreniere to open the scoring just over five minutes into the game when Mika Zibanejad stole the puck in the neutral zone and sprung No. 13 for a short breakaway.
The former first-overall pick didn’t hesitate, roofing a nasty backhander past Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry for his eighth goal of the season.
“It’s pretty good,” Lafreniere said of his confidence. “But I can still, I think, play better.”
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