New York, NY (Sports Network) - Evgeni Malkin registered two goals and an assist, as the Pittsburgh Penguins took a commanding 3-0 series lead with a 5-3 victory over the New York Rangers in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference semifinal from Madison Square Garden.

Marian Hossa added a goal and a helper for the Penguins, who are one win away from advancing to the conference finals for the first time since 2001.

Georges Laraque and Ryan Malone also tallied, while Sidney Crosby, Petr Sykora and Sergei Gonchar picked up two assists each for Pittsburgh.

Marc-Andre Fleury recorded his seventh win of the postseason with a 36-save effort.

Jaromir Jagr and Martin Straka had one goal and one assist apiece for the Rangers, who look to stave off elimination in Game 4 scheduled for Thursday.

"We had the momentum, but it just shows you what playoff hockey is all about," said Rangers center Scott Gomez. "We have nothing to lose now, so we go into the next game hoping for the best."

Ryan Callahan added a goal while Henrik Lundqvist had a subpar game, allowing five goals on only 17 shots.

"You just have to try harder," said Lundqvist. "I got two screens, then two good looks at the puck. I've just got to be better. They play smart and just find ways to score."

Already ahead by one after two, Pittsburgh guarded the lead the best way possible.

Kris Letang's floater was tipped by Malone in the slot and got through an unscreened Lundqvist 2:30 into the third and gave the Penguins a 5-3 edge.

The visitors survived a pair of shorthanded situations early in the period, then stood firm late as Lundqvist was pulled for an extra skater with nearly two minutes remaining in regulation.

Fleury made 10 saves in all in the third period but was not tested as the seconds ticked away in the Penguins' triumph.

"There's no doubt it was rough for us," Pens head coach Michel Therrien said of his team's brief second-period lull. "We had a great start, and we kind of lost our focus in the second, play undisciplined, give them life. We did a great job after ward on the penalty kill to sacrifice the body and block shots."

Hossa buried the rebound of Crosby's initial shot just 1:02 into the contest to put the visitors up a goal, then the Rangers countered with 5:28 to go in the first on a controversial play.

Jagr's initial shot from 10 feet out was turned aside by Fleury, but the rebound kicked to the left side where Straka whacked at it from the goal line. His first chance got Fleury's pad, but the second one hit the back of the net as Jagr, a Pens defenseman and Fleury jostled in the crease.

A review determined the net was not off its moorings before the puck crossed the goal line, and it was 1-1.

However, Laraque answered less than two minutes later when he one-timed an errant pass into the upper-left corner of the net.

Callahan was sent off on a high-sticking double-minor shortly thereafter, and Pittsburgh cashed in to take a 3-1 lead with 2:19 on the clock on a point blast by Malkin.

The Rangers failed to convert with an early 5-on-3 power play in the second, but managed to get back within a goal when Callahan poked a Gomez feed home with 7:53 to go.

Jagr buried a wraparound shot from the right side of the crease between Fleury's arm and body 64 seconds later for a 3-3 deadlock, but Malkin fired another point shot on the power play to put the Pens up a goal with 2:07 left before intermission.

"He was really effective. He's a big part of the power play," Therrien said of Malkin. "That fourth goal put us in a good position to win the game. That was huge."