PIT vs NYR

Jaromir Jagr got something off his chest. But Sidney Crosby again got the last laugh.

That's because, while the Rangers remain just imperfect enough to make the critical difference, the Pittsburgh Penguins remain perfect so far in these playoffs.

Jagr twice got in Crosby's face to call him out for embellishing calls. But five minutes after Jagr failed to bury a point-blank scoring chance, Jordan Staal scored the only goalie-contested goal in the Penguins' 2-0 Game 2 victory Sunday afternoon in Mellon Arena.

When Adam Hall's clearing fling entered an empty net with 17 seconds left, Pittsburgh had a 2-0 series lead and the Rangers were in an identical position to a year ago, when they came back to win Games 3 and 4 at home to even their second-round series with Buffalo.

"We lost Game 1 but we really thought we could get ourselves back in this series today," Rangers coach Tom Renney said. "And we still do. Let's not forget we were down, 2-nothing to Buffalo a year ago. And we're going back to MSG, where we've been pretty good this year."

The Rangers have been particularly good at home against Pittsburgh, having won all four Garden meetings with the Penguins.

However, they have yet to figure out a way to be better than Crosby and Co. in this series. The Penguins have managed to get both games played on their terms, opening up Game 1 for their top-end forwards and shutting down Game 2 once they took a 1-0 lead.

"Well, it was more like a playoff hockey type of game," Pittsburgh 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."

What Jagr, who refuses to dive to draw penalties, did not like was seeing teammate Fedor Tyutin get a holding penalty for shoving Crosby to the ice late in the first period. Jagr skated up to Crosby and barked at him to stop diving and stay on his feet.

Asked afterward what he had said to Crosby, Jagr was reluctant to discuss the matter with reporters and only replied: "Just play hockey."

Crosby was similarly tight-lipped.

"Just ask him," Crosby said. "I wasn't the one talking."