PITTSBURGH — Looking for his first career playoff goal, the rookie Kevin Hayes missed the net on an excellent scoring chance that would have tied the game midway through the second period. Given another opportunity, Hayes came through — sending the Rangers to the brink of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Hayes scored 3 minutes 14 seconds into overtime to give the Rangers a 2-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday and a three-games-to-one series lead. Hayes flipped a loose puck up into the net over a sprawling Marc-Andre Fleury after Martin St. Louis began the sequence by throwing the puck into the slot and Carl Hagelin’s attempt was stopped.