8:28: Fleury just manages to deflect a shot with his pad by Artem Anisimov of Rangers that would have made it a 1-goal game. Looks like Malkin got away with a hooking call. Here comes Crosby.
8:22: Rangers leading scorer Marian Gaborik just shoots wide. He gets the puck back second later -- and is stoned by Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury who snatches a bullet out of mid-air with his glove. Rangers starting to put on some more pressure.
8:18: Evgeni Malkin playing dominanting game tonight. He's been best player on the ice. Here comes Crosby with Pens up 3-1 at a quiet Madison Square Garden. Wait, a Rangers fan just called for somebody to hit Crosby in the head.
8:11: Rangers missing goalie Henrik Lundqvist tonight. He's their best player but he's out for second straight game with flu symptons. The Broadway Blueshirts are also missing captain Ryan Callahan and defenseman Michael Del Zotto due to injuries. First boo birds are heard at the Garden.
8:09: Matt Cooke scores his second goal of the game. Pens winning 3-1 with 17 minutes to go in the second. That really quieted down the Madison Square Garden crowd with the exception of the suprising number of Penguins fans in the audience.
8:05: Evgeni Malkin with a beautiful goal as he okey-dokes Rangers goalie Martin Biron off a feed from James Neal. It's No. 71's 39th goal of the season. Pens winning 2-1 early in the 2nd period.
8:02: Here's comes Sidney Crosby for the 2nd period. He starts on the bench while Jordan Staal gets ready to take opening faceoff against Rangers' Brad Richards. We're underway.
7:54: The Rangers have had the best record in the NHL for much of the season. But Rangers GM Glen Sather thinks the surging Penguins, with 9 straight wins under their belt, are the team to beat with Crosby in the lineup.
According to ESPN New York, Sather told ESPN's Pierre LeBrun Pittsburgh's the "best team in the league," with Crosby back in action.Pens coach Dan Bylsma said the Pens still have to catch the Rangers. "We can't even give them one point, realistically, if we want to get them."
7:51: 1st period stats: In his first game back since December, Crosby played 4:56 in the 1st period, putting him on pace for the 15 minutes that coach Dan Bylsma spoke about this morning. Pens defenseman Kris Letang, also back from a concussion, played more than eight minutes. Both are plus-1. Pens had 11 shots on goal vs. 6 for Rangers.
7:46: That's it for 1st period. Penguins and Rangers tied 1-1. Crosby looked good, got a lot of ice time.
7:43: Pens goalie Fleury getting a lot of abuse from the old Rangers blue seats for some reason. More toward him than Crosby. Rangers finally get a power play after Brooks Orpik of Pens trips Carl Hagelin.
7:40: Another "Potvin sucks" chant from suddenly happy Ranger fans just for the heck of it. Crosby may havve caught a shot in the face. He motions to his face as he skates to bench.
7:35: Speedy Rangers winger Carl Hageline ties it up with a shot over a sprawling Marc-Andrew Fleury of Pens. It's Hagelin's 14th of the season. Brad Richards and Marian Gaborik get the assists. Score is 1-1 with 5:31 to go in 1st period.
7:32: Crosby feeds Kris Letang with a sweet set-up in the left circule. Letang puts it over Ranger goalie Martin Biron -- but it rings off the crossbar. Ranger fans getting antsy.
7:25: Penguins back on the power playafter another Rangers penalty. Crosby stationed on left boards with sniper Evgeni Malkin on right.
7:22: Just showed replay of Crosby being mobbed by teammates after Cooke's goal. Mostly Penguins so far in this one.
7:19: Crosby back with a tough, aggressive shift around the Rangers net. He's not avoiding contact. That's for sure. Crosby now quarterbacking Peguins power play. Rangers fan behind press box sceams, "Hit him!
7:14: Crosby's line scores! That didn't take long. Flukey shot by Matt Cooke pops up in the air, off crossbar and into net. 1-0 Penguins. The Ranger's star goalie Henrik Lundqvist is out for the second straight game due to the flu.
7:12: Here comes Crosby for his first shift. No cheers this time from Ranger fans. He's roundly booed.
7:10: Puck is dropped. Jordan Staal's line starts for Penguins. That didn't take long. The Garden faithful just let loose with first "Potvin Sucks!' chant.
6:44: The NHL's biggest superstar returns to action tonight. We're live-blogging the return of Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins tonight vs. the Eastern Conference leading New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. Crosby looks relaxed in warm-ups. There's a lot of Penguins fans in attendance tonight at the World's Most Famous Arena. Stay tuned for faceoff.
It's Crosby's first game in more than three months due to concussion-like symptons. He'll be skating with Matt Cooke who'll serve as bodyguard. The Garden fan cheer when the PA announcer says Crosby's playing tonight.
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