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Fleury, Penguins blank Rangers

Apr 27, 2008 - 11:32 PM PITTSBURGH (Ticker) -- Marc-Andre Fleury and the Pittsburgh Penguins are on top of their game.

Fleury stopped 26 shots for his second shutout of the postseason as the Penguins registered a 2-0 victory over the New York Rangers in Game Two of their Eastern Conference semifinal series Sunday.

Jordan Staal scored in the second period and Adam Hall added an empty-net tally with 16.7 seconds remaining for the Penguins, who hold a two-games-to-none lead in the series.

Pittsburgh improved to 6-0 this postseason, but captain Sidney Crosby believes the road will get tougher when the series shifts to New York for Game Three on Tuesday.

"(They're) going somewhere where they play well and it's just going to be a tougher time from here on in - and that's what we expect," Crosby said. "We're obviously happy that we were able to get the two big wins here at home, but it doesn't get any easier."

"It was more like a playoff hockey type of game," Penguins coach Michel Therrien said. "You have to fight for every inch on the ice and I thought both teams played well. But I liked our chances. We generated a lot of chances. ... I liked the way we were aggressive."

Vezina Trophy finalist Henrik Lundqvist made 30 saves for the Rangers.

"We just have to just go back home and still feel confident; we know we can beat this team," Lundqvist said. "Go back home and get two wins, and come back here - it's going to be pressure on them.

"The most important thing is that we stay confident right now. We know we can beat them, no question, but they're a good team and you can't hand them too much because they'll make you pay for it."

Fleury stopped 10 shots in the first period, nine in the second and seven in the third to silence the Rangers. The first overall pick of the 2003 draft made 26 saves in a 4-0 victory over the seventh-seeded Ottawa Senators in Game One of the conference quarterfinals.

"As a goalie, it never feels good to give up four goals, so I wanted to come back (today) and play a good game," Fleury said, referring to his performance in Thursday's 5-4 victory in Game One. "I thought the players in front of me did a good job."

The Quebec native received all the offense he would need from Staal, who opened the scoring with 6:05 remaining in the second period.

With Pittsburgh on the power play, All-Star Evgeni Malkin chipped the puck past rookie defenseman - and Jordan's brother - Marc Staal before regaining possession and wristed a centering feed to Jordan Staal. The 19-year-old collected the puck, shifted from backhand to forehand before elevating the puck past Lundqvist and under the crossbar for his second goal of the postseason.

"He's (Malkin) got great vision and I knew he was going to try to find me," Staal said. "He's a great passer and I'm just glad to be the finisher."

Jordan Staal, however, said he didn't see who Malkin sidestepped before he received the feed.

"It's pretty much a blur once you're out there," Jordan Staal said.

Pittsburgh has at least one power-play goal in all six postseason games.

Hall capped the scoring with a perfect cue shot from his own blue line, which bounced off the glass and into the empty net.

"You kind of saw it take a little turn there and you raise your eyebrows like that might have a chance," Hall said.

Lundqvist made a pair of stellar saves in the first period to keep the Penguins off the scoresheet.

The Swedish netminder denied All-Star Marian Hossa with a right pad save on a breakaway 5 1/2 minutes into the game. Lundqvist followed that up with a brilliant glove save on a one-timer from defenseman Ryan Whitney in the slot with five minutes remaining in the session.

Not to be outdone, Fleury stymied Jaromir Jagr on a 3-on-2 rush midway through the second period. The Rangers captain and former Penguins star weaved through the defense and wristed a shot on the doorstep, but Fleury knocked it down and covered the puck.

New York's best opportunity to score came late in the third period after former Penguin Martin Straka slipped the puck between Fleury's pads, but referee Dan O'Halloran thought the netminder made the save before it crossed the goal line.

"I didn't hear the whistle, but maybe he blew the whistle, so he knows," Straka said. "It was a scramble, I didn't think he had it covered."

"I thought the whistle had blown before I saw any kind of indication of a goal," Rangers coach Tom Renney said. "To me it seemed like a good call."