The outside noise surrounding the Rangers had been jackhammering the locker room walls for weeks.
But on perhaps the most tumultuous day of the season, the Blueshirts were able to focus on the game at hand.
In this case, that would be a 4-2 win over the Penguins on Friday night at Madison Square Garden.
The Rangers were eager to dial into the game at hand on Friday morning, despite early news that captain Jacob Trouba would be removed from the game due to “roster management.”
Trouba was ultimately traded to Anaheim later in the day in exchange for defenseman Urho Vaakanainen and a conditional 2025 fourth-round pick before the puck was dropped.
Of course, given both the offseason commotion with Trouba and the league-wide message released late last month (quoting Trouba and Chris Kreider) that elicited a trade partner for president and general manager Chris Drury. , this was not unexpected.
So it probably wasn't easy for the Rangers to keep their attention solely on the Penguins.
It was imperative for the Rangers to do so.
The cushion the Rangers built at 5-0-1 disappeared during the team's 1-6 lead into Friday night's game, trailing them by eight points with the Hurricanes in third place in the Metropolitan Division standings. There was a difference. at the start of the game.
Carolina was scheduled to play the Islanders on Saturday, so the Rangers were able to cut the deficit to six points.
Igor Shesterkin may have just become the highest-paid goaltender in NHL history with an eight-year, $92 million contract, but there's a reason Artemi Panarin remains the Rangers' highest-paid player.
Panarin scored two of the Rangers' three goals in the win, giving the Russian star wing his team-leading 30th and 31st points of the season.
The Penguins might have managed to tie it at two-all less than 6 1/2 minutes into the third period on a goal from Phillip Tomasino, but the Rangers continued to play with pace and urgency.
Riley Smith then cleaned up the rebound from the Rangers' odd-man rush chance and Vincent Trocheck tipped it in to secure the win and end the Penguins' winning streak at four.
The Rangers were sharp and alert Friday night, a natural byproduct of knowing all eyes around the NHL were on them.
However, after a scoreless first period, the Penguins took the lead on a Blake Lizotte goal at the 6:19 mark of the middle frame.
Quickly moving the puck into the neutral zone, the Rangers seamlessly entered the Penguins' zone before Alexis Lafreniere dished to Panarin in the high slot to tie the game at one-all.
Panarin started doing his signature leg kick celebration and more.
Then, with seconds left, Panarin sped up and entered the O-zone as three Penguins skated around him. Panarin smashed the puck right under the left pad of Pittsburgh goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic, giving the Rangers a one-point lead entering the final frame.
