GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- How you feel about the play of center Sidney Crosby's line through two games in the Eastern Conference First Round between the New York Rangers and Pittsburgh Penguins truly depends on which side your viewpoint comes from.
Rangers need to contain Crosby, Penguins' top line in Game 3
Pittsburgh's No. 1 unit has five goals, 41 shots through two games in tied series
On the Penguins' side, the positive is the production and scoring chances they're getting from their top line of Crosby, Jake Guentzel and Bryan Rust. They've accounted for five of their six goals, 11 points and 41 shots on goal.
The negative is Crosby's unit is the only one of Pittsburgh's four forward lines that is generating much or producing at 5-on-5.
From the Rangers' perspective, the positive is they've done a good job of limiting Pittsburgh's second, third and fourth lines, forcing the Penguins into being a one-line team.
The negative is that one line is dominating almost every time it's on the ice.
RELATED: [Complete Rangers vs. Penguins series coverage]
It's an interesting dynamic heading into Game 3 at PPG Paints Arena on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; TNT, CBC, SN, TVAS, ATTSN-PT, MSG). The best-of-7 series is tied 1-1.
"In a perfect world, they wouldn't have any scoring chances," Rangers center Mika Zibanejad said. "But you're talking about one of the best players in the world and that line has been good for them for a long period of time. We don't want to focus too much on them. It's always a tendency to do a little too much when you focus on one guy or whatnot, but it's just trying to limit their chances as much as we can.
"I don't think you're going to be able to get them to zero. If so, that's great. But try to limit their chances and play them hard."
New York has been forced into using Zibanejad's line with Chris Kreider and Frank Vatrano against Crosby's line in a lot of situations because of injuries to forwards Tyler Motte (upper body) and Barclay Goodrow (lower body).
Ideally, coach Gerard Gallant said he would be using Motte, who they acquired in a trade with the Vancouver Canucks on March 21 for matchups like this, and Goodrow, likely with center Kevin Rooney, as a shutdown line when possible against Crosby, Guentzel and Rust.
But Motte has been out since April 9 and Goodrow sustained a lower-body injury in Game 1 that is expected to sideline him the rest of the series. Motte is skating on his own and is a candidate to return at some point during the first round.
"A month and a half ago when we got some guys at trade deadline," Gallant said, "I'm looking ahead and saying, 'If we match up against this team, I like these three guys against them and Zibanejad can play some shifts against them.' But two of those three guys are hurt.
"You work with your lineup. … I think we've done a pretty good job so far overall but that line is getting too many [chances]."
Zibanejad said a key to the Rangers slowing Crosby, Guentzel and Rust is to stop feeding their transition game.
"It's all over the ice," he said. "They're a good transition team and that line especially. Be smart with the puck and not give them anything just for free, really. Make them earn it. That's how you have to approach it."
The Penguins feel their other lines have been close to breaking out offensively, and confidence in them has not wavered.
"We've seen signs," coach Mike Sullivan said. "There have been a number of scoring chances throughout our lineup."
Pittsburgh has 58 shots on goal from the other 10 forwards it has used in the series, including 12 from Kasperi Kapanen, who has had arguably the best chances of any Penguins forward outside the top line.
But Crosby, Guentzel and Rust combined for 17 shots and 22 shot attempts in Game 2; the other nine forwards had 17 shots and 30 shot attempts in New York's 5-2 win.
"Obviously it's important to put the puck in the net," Penguins forward Teddy Blueger said. "There's no point in having chances if we don't score. But as long as you're getting chances, I think you're on the right track. You're giving yourself a chance. Probably have to execute a little better and bear down."
Gallant said the Rangers believe the scoring chances have been close to similar through two games, with Pittsburgh generating more in Game 1 and New York more in Game 2. But a lot of that is because Crosby's line is outperforming any other line.
"I don't want to say that because they've got two other lines that are good lines too," Gallant said. "Their second and third lines are real talented and their fourth line is a good working line. But Crosby and those guys have really stepped it up here and have played great hockey."
What that ultimately means in terms of a key going into Game 3 depends on which side you're on.
