NEW YORK -- Mike Rupp got his first career hat trick and Sidney Crosby scored twice to lead the Penguins to a 5-2 victory against the New York Rangers tonight at Madison Square Garden.

The victory was the Penguins' first at the Garden since March 1, 2007.

After a scoreless first period, Marian Gaborik put the Rangers up, 1-0, at 3:12 of the second by flipping his own rebound past goalie Marc-Andre Fleury from the front lip of the crease.

Just 10 seconds later, however, Crosby pulled in a pass from Bill Guerin and moved down the right side before throwing a high backhander past Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist for his 16th of the season. Sergei Gonchar got the second assist.

Rupp put the Penguins in front, 2-1, at 7:33 of the third, as he backhanded in his own rebound from the left side of the crease. The goal was Rupp's sixth.

Jordan Staal had a chance to pad the Penguins' advantage when he got a shorthanded breakaway with just under two minutes left in the second, but Lundqvist denied him.

Play moved back into the other end and Gaborik swept in a rebound from the right side of the crease at 18:42 to tie the game, 2-2.

Rupp was shaken up by hit from behind from Rangers defenseman Dan Girardi at 5:48 of the third, but returned to the bench little more than a minute later.

He then exacted revenge by putting the Penguins back on top, 3-2, at 11:14, as he carried the puck from his own end into the New York zone before throwing a shot past Lundqvist from the left dot for his seventh of the season, a career-high.

Crosby added some insurance by tipping in a Mark Eaton shot at 15:51 to make it 4-2 and Rupp completed his hat trick with an empty-netter at 18:20.

The Penguins (19-9) will play Colorado Thursday at Mellon Arena.

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