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Scoring the first goal is always big in a hockey game as the first six games between the Penguins and Rangers attest to. They are even bigger when you are the road team in a Game 7.
The Penguins had an offensive-zone faceoff and put their top line of Sidney Crosby, Chris Kunitz and Lee Stempniak on the ice while the Rangers countered with their fourth line of Brian Boyle, Dominic Moore and Derek Dorsett. What could go wrong there for Pittsburgh?
A lot, apparently. Both Crosby and Kunitz got caught trying to crash the Rangers net while the Rangers got the puck and moved up ice with a mission. Seconds later the Rangers were looking at a 4-on-2 with Stempniak trying to get back into the play. Some nifty passing later and Boyle was directing in a pass from Moore in between Marc-Andre Fleury's pads and the early Rangers lead.
It turns out giving up odd-man rushes with that much room and time isn't a good idea.
