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In order for the New York Rangers to advance to the Eastern Conference finals for the second time in three years, the club is going to have to do something its never done before: beat the Pittsburgh Penguins in the playoffs. The Rangers hope to strike first in this fifth postseason meeting between the franchises, as they visit Pittsburgh for Fridays Game 1 battle at CONSOL Energy Center. The Penguins are 4-0 all-time in postseason series against the Blueshirts and boast a 16-4 record over those four playoff encounters. The only time New York was able to post more than one win in a series against the Pens was in the 1992 Division Finals, when Pittsburgh downed the Rangers in six games en route to its second straight Stanley Cup title. The most recent playoff encounter was in the 2008 conference semifinals when Pittsburgh ousted the Rangers in five games. New York, which made the conference finals in 2012, is in the second round for the third straight season after beating Philadelphia in seven games in the opening round. Home-ice advantage came in handy for the Blueshirts, as they claimed a 2-1 win at Madison Square Garden in the final test against the Flyers, improving to 6-0 all-time in Game 7s on home ice. In this round, however, the Rangers will have to prove they can win on the road against the Metropolitan Division champion Penguins. "Were battle-tested and ready for the next series," said Rangers head coach Alain Vigneault. "Philly was a real tough opponent, and you have to give them credit, it was a great series, but we know if you look on paper Pittsburgh is probably one of the best teams in the league. They were (13) points ahead of us in the regular season, so were going to have our hands full." The Pens and Rangers split four meetings during the 2013-14 campaign, with both teams recording 2-1-1 records. New York had lost five straight in Pittsburgh before ending that road slide with a 4-3 shootout win on Feb. 7. Game 2 is scheduled for Sunday in the Steel City, while New York gets to host the third meeting on Monday. Fatigue could be an issue for the Rangers at the start of this series, as New York will have played five games in a span of seven days through Game 3 of this set. The Pens, on the other hand, had three full days of rest heading into Game 1. Pittsburgh is in the second round after beating Columbus in six games during the conference quarterfinals. The Pens are after a second straight trip to the East finals after getting swept by Boston in the penultimate playoff round last spring. A big topic of conversation in the middle of the first round was Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkins lack of goal-scoring. But, after Malkin turned in a hat trick to help Pittsburgh clinch the series in Game 6, that likely puts an end to the discussion for now. Malkin ended with seven points on three goals and four assists. Crosby failed to score a goal in six games, but with six assists to his credit its difficult to say he was unproductive. Still, Crosby, the odds-on favorite to win this seasons Hart Trophy, hasnt recorded a goal in his last 11 playoff games and if he goes long without scoring one in this series it could become an issue once again. Crosby and Chris Kunitz led Pittsburgh with six points apiece during the season series with New York, with the captain notching a goal and five assists and Kunitz delivering three goals and three helpers. Malkin only played in two of the four meetings and had a goal and an assist. When things go wrong for Pittsburgh, nobody gets criticized more than No. 1 goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury. Last spring, Fleury was replaced by Tomas Vokoun as the clubs starting goaltender after Game 4 of the opening round against the New York Islanders and did not start another game in the playoffs. Fleury struggled at times during the conference quarterfinals against Columbus, but not enough for head coach Dan Bylsma to make the switch to current backup Jeff Zatkoff. For the most part, Fleury was solid against the Blue Jackets in Round 1. He ended the series with a .908 save percentage and 2.81 goals against average. The 29-year-old is 49-36 with a .903 save percentage and .273 GAA throughout his playoff career. The biggest advantage New York has over the Penguins could be in net, where Rangers backstop Henrik Lundqvist is as steady as they come. The 32-year-old Swede posted a .919 save percentage and 2.11 GAA in the seven games against Philadelphia Lundqvist is a big reason the Rangers are so difficult to beat in a long series. With its win over Philly, the Blueshirts became the first team in NHL history to win a Game 7 in the first round in three consecutive postseasons. In five career Game 7s, Lundqvist is 4-1 with a 1.00 GAA, a .963 save percentage and has allowed two goals or fewer in all five games. The Rangers threw a balanced scoring attack at Philadelphia, with eight players tied for the team lead with two goals apiece and 17 skaters in all registered at least one point. Martin St. Louis and Brad Richards, both members of Tampa Bays 2004 Stanley Cup-winning team, led the way with six points on two goals and four assists, while fellow forwards Carl Hagelin, Benoit Pouliot and Mats Zuccarello each had two goals and two assists. Even physical forward Daniel Carcillo joined the fun, as the ex-Flyer scored two goals against his former team, including the first marker in Wednesdays 2-1 Game 7 victory. If there is one guy who needs to get going for New York its the clubs top offensive weapon Rick Nash. The big, talented winger led the team with 26 goals during the regular season, but he failed to score against the Flyers while notching four assists. Over 23 career playoff games, Nash only has managed two goals while recording 10 assists. Zuccarello posted two goals and four assists to lead the Rangers in scoring against the Pens during the season series. Both Fleury and Lundqvist started all four games in net. Pittsburghs No. 1 netminder had a 3.12 GAA in the season series, while Lundqvist was slightly better with a 2.88 GAA. Thurman Thomas Jersey .com) - Winnipeg Jets defenseman Dustin Byfuglien, Detroit Red Wings forward Tomas Tatar and New York Islanders right wing Kyle Okposo were named the NHLs players of the week on Monday. Buffalo Bills Jerseys . Western and the second-ranked Laval Rouge et Or (7-0) once again received 20 and 10 first-place votes from the Football Reporters of Canada panel, respectively. Rounding out the Top 10 are the Calgary Dinos (7-0), Queens Gaels (7-1), Guelph Gryphons (7-1), Montreal Carabins (5-2), Bishops Gaiters (5-2), McMaster Marauders (5-3), Manitoba Bisons (4-3) and the Saskatchewan Huskies (4-3) Western crushed York 50-10 last Saturday in its league finale to secure first place in the OUA standings and a bye in the first round of the conference playoffs. http://www.shoptheofficialbills.com/Elit...d-Bills-Jersey/. - Chris Davis hit a two-run double, scoring Nelson Cruz in his Orioles debut in Baltimores 9-7 win over to the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday. Bruce Smith Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla. O. J. Simpson Jersey .5 million. The 25-year-old Varlamov is thriving under first-year coach and Hall of Fame goaltender Patrick Roy, posting a 26-9-5 record with a 2.ATLANTA - Freddie Freeman had three hits, including a homer, and the Atlanta Braves beat Washington 6-3 on Saturday night to continue their early success against the Nationals. B.J. Upton had two hits, including his first homer, and Dan Uggla drove in two runs with two hits for Atlanta. After winning two of three at Washington in the opening week, the Braves have won the first two games of a weekend home series against their NL East rivals. Braves left-hander Alex Wood (2-1) allowed one run on six hits and three walks in five innings. Craig Kimbrel pitched the ninth for his fifth save. Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman left the game with an apparent right thumb injury. Washington placed Denard Span on the seven-day disabled list with a concussion before the game. Upton, who began the night hitting .135, and Uggla, batting .162, finally got untracked. Justin Upton had three hits, including two doubles, to extend his tear at the plate. Evan Gattis also had three hits. Washington starter Taylor Jordan (0-1) allowed five runs on 10 hits and two walks in five innings. Anthony Rendon hit his second homer leading off the game. Zimmerman was hurt diving back to the bag when he was picked off second base in the fifth. The Nationals provided no immediate update on his status. Span had headaches following a collision on the basepath with Uggla on Friday night. Right fielder Jayson Werth, who left Friday nights game with cramping in his groin, did not start. He had a pinch-hit infield single in the eighth following Sandy Leons run-scoring single. Freemans throwing error on Werths hit left runners at first and third, but Rendons fly to centre ended thee inning.dddddddddddd. Washingtons makeshift outfield included Bryce Harper in centre, Kevin Frandsen in left and Nate McLouth in right. Nationals manager Matt Williams used his replay challenge in the second inning after McLouth, credited with a sacrifice bunt, was called out at first base. The call by umpire Angel Hernandez stood following a video review. Williams could have used his challenge two innings later when replays indicated first baseman Adam LaRoche snagged a liner by Freeman as Jason Heyward advanced from first to second. LaRoche stepped on the bag for an apparent double play, but the umpires huddled — with Williams standing a few feet away — and ruled the ball hit the ground before the catch was made. McLouth was involved in another questionable call in the fifth when he dropped a flyball hit by Andrelton Simmons. Replays indicated McLouth made the catch and was transferring the ball to his glove when it fell to the ground, but Hernandez ruled it was not a catch. The call left the bases loaded, but Jordan escaped by striking out pinch-hitter Ryan Doumit and Heyward. Right-hander Blake Treinen, called up from Triple-A Syracuse before the game, pitched two scoreless innings in his major league debut. NOTES: The Nationals also recalled OF Steven Souza Jr. and optioned RHP Blake Barrett to Syracuse. ... Gattis tied his career high with three hits. ... Justin Upton is 11 for 19 with three homers in the first five games of the homestand. ... The Nationals were charged with three errors, including two throwing miscues by SS Ian Desmond. ... The series ends Sunday when Atlanta RHP Aaron Harang faces LHP Gio Gonzalez. ' ' '