NEW YORK --The New York Rangers scored on four of their first 12 shots Thursday night at Madison Square Garden, so the Penguins responded with a couple of perfectly logical moves.

First, coach Dan Bylsma replaced goalie Marc-Andre Fleury -- who looked very much like a guy who hadn't been in a game for more than 2 1/2 weeks -- with Brent Johnson.

Then, just to be safe, Johnson's teammates pretty much decided they wouldn't allow the Rangers to get any more shots on goal.

OK, New York actually managed to generate four more over the nearly 31 minutes that followed, but Johnson somehow survived the barrage in what became a 5-4 Penguins victory.

Jordan Staal scored on the winner at 3:42 of overtime, when he deflected an Evgeni Malkin shot past Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist during a four-on-three power play.

Staal's goal came on the Penguins' 55th shot, the most they have ever had in a road game and their most anywhere this season. The previous high had been 51 during a 1-0 shootout loss Jan. 12 to New Jersey.

The victory raised the Penguins' record to 38-22-4 and lifted them into first place in the Atlantic Division. They are one point ahead of New Jersey, although the Devils have two games in hand.

Although the Penguins finished with a 55-16 advantage in shots, animosity between the teams was pretty much a dead heat.

"Everything kind of gets more physical, a little more nasty, as the season progresses," Rangers center Chris Drury said. "Especially within the division."

Both teams received only 14 minutes in penalties, but play was chippy from the earliest minutes.

That was evident when Lundqvist went after Sidney Crosby at 4:10 of the opening period, after Rangers defenseman Marc Staal had been penalized for interfering with Crosby.

"I didn't like the fact that he came over," Crosby said. "It wasn't right. I got a good cross-check in the ribs. It didn't feel too good. The last thing I expected was him standing over me. I was surprised, and I didn't like it."

Crosby picked up a cross-checking minor for expressing his displeasure; Rangers center Brandon Dubinsky received a roughing minor for getting involved in the Crosby-Lundqvist byplay.

The Penguins' come-from-behind victory -- they trailed, 4-2, with less than six minutes left in the second period -- overshadowed a miserable evening for Fleury, who looked very much out of sorts from the earliest minutes of play.

He was beaten twice on the glove side, by Artem Anisimov and Michal Rozsival, on shots that he usually would glove almost effortlessly.

"There were a couple of plays when I wasn't in the right spot at the right time," Fleury said. "Mistakes on my part. ... But it was nice to see the guys come back."

And do it, he might have added, with a vengeance.

The Penguins had a territorial edge throughout the game -- witness their 15-8 edge in shots in the opening period -- but it became more pronounced as the game unfolded.

It culminated in the third period, when they launched 19 shots at Lundqvist, while the Rangers managed one at Johnson.

"It was unbelievable," Johnson said. "The ice was so tilted [figuratively] toward their end. We were focused and determined.

But Lundqvist couldn't prevent Mike Rupp from converting a Crosby feed at 14:23 of the second, or Alex Goligoski from forcing overtime when his centering pass from the left corner hit Marc Staal and went into the net at 11:59 of the third to make it 4-4.

"He's a good goaltender who likes to play back in his net," Goligoski said. "We just thought, 'Throw the kitchen sink at him, crash the net and try to score some dirty goals.' "

They did, and what made it all the more impressive is that the Penguins did it without right winger Bill Guerin, a late scratch because of back spasms. Guerin said the problem doesn't appear to be serious, but it forced Bylsma to go with 11 forwards and seven defensemen.

Unconventional, to be sure, but not a problem when they execute the way they did Thursday night.

"There was commitment all over the ice," Johnson said. "Just a fantastic win."

Jordan Staal celebrates his wining overtime goal with an assist from Evgeni Malkin as the Rangers' Marc Staal, left, and goalie Henrik Lundqvist react Thursday in New York.

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