Jagr Scores Two as Pittsburgh Takes a 3-2 Lead : NHL playoffs: Czechoslovakian player gets the game-winner as Rangers lose, 3-2.

The Pittsburgh Penguins still don’t have Mario Lemieux and won’t for the rest of the Patrick Division finals. However, they do have Jaromir Jagr and on Monday night, he was enough.

“It was a great individual effort,” New York Ranger defenseman Brian Leetch said of Jagr’s spectacular goal with 5:33 left in regulation that gave the Penguins a 3-2 victory and a 3-2 lead in the Patrick Division finals.

“Jagr’s a big, strong guy, a tough guy to stop with the puck.”

Leetch should know. He attempted to stop Jagr’s breakaway in the first period but wound up having to haul him down--resulting in a penalty shot.

Jagr, a 20-year-old from Czechoslovakia who is often overshadowed by Lemieux--out for the series with a broken hand--easily converted the penalty shot, giving the Penguins a 2-0 lead.

“He’s so strong,” Pittsburgh Coach Scotty Bowman said of Jagr, who was Pittsburgh’s first pick in the 1990 draft. “I think we saw it all year. And last year as well. He’s tough to stop. If he gets a beat on the defense, he can shift both ways.”

Jagr, a 32-goal scorer during the regular season, came up with a big game just when the Penguins needed it. The defending Stanley Cup champions were playing without Lemieux, Joe Mullen and Bob Errey, all out with injuries.

The victory moved Pittsburgh to within one game of the Wales Conference finals and a chance to play Boston.

Jagr’s game-winning goal was an individual effort that Lemieux would have been proud of. He carried the puck down the right wing, deked his way around defenseman Jeff Beukeboom and drew John Vanbiesbrouck out of the net before putting the puck behind him.

“Gordie Roberts gave me a good pass and I got a lucky break,” Jagr said of his winning goal. “I was tired because of the shift before. I used the move many times before in Czechoslovakia.”

The Penguins also got a terrific effort from goaltender Tom Barrasso, who made 32 saves. The most important came in the final seconds on Darren Turcotte from the slot after the Rangers had pulled Vanbiesbrouck for an extra skater.

Barrasso was brilliant in the first period, when he made 15 saves to keep the Penguins ahead, 2-0.

The Penguins took the lead 1:15 into the game on a power-play goal by Rick Tocchet, who scored from the side of the net after a great pass from Ron Francis.

Jagr made it 2-0 when he converted the penalty shot at 7:04. Jagr, awarded the first penalty shot of this year’s playoffs, outwaited Vanbiesbrouck, caught the goalie leaning to his left and beat him on the stick side with a short wrist shot.

The Rangers tied the score on goals by Turcotte and Mike Gartner.