PITTSBURGH _ So far, 2018 has not been very promising for the struggling Rangers.
The undermanned Blueshirts lost their third straight game and fourth in the last five, falling, 5-2, to the Penguins on Sunday.
The Rangers haven't won since beating the Sabres, 3-2, in overtime in the Winter Classic at Citi Field on New Year's Day.
Playing without three injured regulars _ Chris Kreider, Ryan McDonagh and Kevin Hayes _ the Blueshirts, backed by Henrik Lundqvist's 42 saves, came close but remained at 49 points and fell to 7-9-2 away from Madison Square Garden.
The Penguins (24-19-3) won their fourth straight and passed the Rangers, who managed just 27 shots, in the Eastern Conference standings with 51 points. The Rangers currently hold the last wild-card spot, one point ahead of the Islanders, Flyers and Hurricanes.
At 5:16 of the third period, the Penguins had almost increased a 3-2 lead when Riley Sheahan and Rangers defenseman Steven Kampfer battled in the crease and the puck and Lundqvist, on his back, were pushed across the goal line. Lundqvist protested and a review ruled that the puck went in because of a "distinct kicking motion" by Sheahan and waved off.
But the Rangers, with just 15 goals in the last nine games, could not find the equalizer and Sidney Crosby provided an insurance goal, his 17th, with a stickside wrister at 12:33. Former Ranger Carl Hagelin scored an empty-net goal with 1:59 left.
Ahead 2-1 after the first period on goals from Michael Grabner and Brendan Smith, the Blueshirts held off two power plays for the NHL's top team with the man-advantage at 1:22 and the four-minute mark of the second period, as Lundqvist, who stopped 12 shots in the first period, continued to turn away dangerous chances.
The Rangers were showing some character and spirit. When Marc Staal was flattened by enforcer Ryan Reaves in front of the Rangers bench, Smith, who was playing after being a healthy scratch for two games, skated over to respond, dumping Reaves on his butt with a solid check at 10:03. Jamie Oleksiak dropped his gloves with Smith, and was given an instigator penalty, and the Rangers went on the power play. Vinni Lettieri almost connected with a rocket slapper that caromed off the post with 22 seconds left in the man advantage.
But the Penguins struck twice in 75 seconds to re-energize the crowd at PPG Paints Arena, where a main topic of discussion was the Steelers' playoff loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Lundqvist kicked out a screened shot, but Dominik Simon buried the rebound for his first NHL goal, forging a 2-2 tie at 13:15 and just 1:15 later, Phil Kessel's 20th _ a short side sizzler between Lundqvist and the right post _ put the Penguins ahead 3-2.
After 20 minutes, the Rangers had skated off with a 2-1 lead. Paul Carey won a battle behind the net and from his knees, swept a pass to Lettieri in the corner. Smith called for the puck from the left circle and his one-timer bounced off goalie Tristan Jarry's arm and in with 53.4 on the clock. It was Smith's first goal of the season.
Grabner had sticked the puck away from Evgeni Malkin in the Rangers' zone and sped down ice. He went to his backhand to lift the puck over Jarry's glove at 15:17 for the tie. The unassisted goal was Grabner's team-leading 19th.
The Penguins had scored first. A prone Lundqvist thought he had Kris Letang's shot covered, but Hagelin poked it away and Smith was unable to keep Patric Hornqvist's backhander at 3:14. An animated Lundqvist immediately appealed to the officials, but it went unheard.
