Zatkoff, Hornqvist Shine in Game 1; Take 1-0 Series Lead Against Rangers

In front of a packed house inside the Consol Energy Center for game 1 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, an unlikely hero emerged as third string goaltender Jeff Zatkoff stole the show and helped the Pens come out with a 5-2 victory over the New York Rangers.  Observations:

Zatkoff really held down the fort early on in the first period as the Rangers threw everything but the kitchen sink his way.  Zatkoff was able to be in good position for many of the shots the Rangers took and was able to absorb most of the shots.  Derek Stepan was able to get two behind Zatkoff, but none were his fault as one was a five on three power play, and another one was a beautiful shot top shelf.  Zatkoff definitely stole the show in game 1 stopping 35 out of 37 shots.

Another key aspect of the game was the hat trick by Penguins Patric Hornqvist.  He was able to begin the scoring for the Penguins by crashing the net late in the first period and sneaking it behind an injured Henrik Lundqvist underneath his pads.  Lundqvist would end up leaving after the first period due to an eye injury, and Hornqvist would end up scoring on the power play and an empty net in the third period.

The Penguins look to continue their winning ways as they battle the New York Rangers in game 2 Saturday at 3 PM.

Source: www.penguins.nhl.com