PITTSBURGH, March 9 (UPI) -- Jan Hrdina scored 37 seconds into overtime Saturday as the Pittsburgh Penguins tightnened the Eastern Conference playoff race with a 3-2 victory over the struggling New York Rangers.
Pittsburgh jumped over Buffalo and climbed within four points of the Rangers for the final playoff spot in the East. Five of the Penguins' last six wins have come in overtime.
Outplayed for most of the contest, New York managed to steal a point when Sandy McCarthy scored on a rebound with 98 seconds remaining in regulation.
The Rangers moved one point ahead of Montreal, pending the Canadiens game Saturday night against Toronto.
After Milan Kraft gave the Penguins a 1-0 lead with 1:57 left in the first period, New York tied it early in the second when Andreas Johansson beat goaltender Johan Hedberg with a slap shot from just inside the blue line.
But the Rangers left rookie Kris Beech alone in the right faceoff circle while trying to kill a penalty and he ripped a blast past Mike Richter to give the Penguins a 2-1 lead.
