Bruce Bennett / Getty Images

A Madison Square Garden employee picks up hats thrown onto the ice after the Rangers' Michael Nylander completed a hat trick with his third goal against the Thrashers on Tuesday.

But Hartley announced Monday that he was going back to Lehtonen, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2002 draft and Atlanta’s presumed goalie of the future.

It didn’t work.

The skating and zigzagging play by Jagr and Nylander looked every bit like the Harlem Globetrotters on ice.

Jagr eluded Eric Belanger in the neutral zone then found Nylander behind the Thrashers’ defense for the first goal. Nylander then got to a big rebound of Marcel Hossa’s shot in the right circle to make it 2-0 at 9:45. When Malik scored 2:41 later, the only question left was how long Hartley would stick with the 23-year-old Lehtonen.

The only reason he wasn’t pulled was Hartley didn’t want to spend Hedberg, who’ll start Game 4.

Callahan, who netted four goals in 14 games, got two postseason tallies just under 11 minutes apart in the second period to bust the game open.

Lundqvist’s biggest test came during a Rangers power play late in the first period when Pascal Dupuis, who played briefly with New York this season, got free on a breakaway but had the puck slide off his stick. Lundqvist also flopped flat on his back in the second to keep Atlanta off the board.

Notes: Nylander’s hat trick was the Rangers’ first in the playoffs since Wayne Gretzky on May 18, 1997. ... Tyutin had 12 assists in the regular season. ... Lehtonen allowed a season-high five goals in a game five times. ... The Rangers have a 112-73 shots advantage in the series. Atlanta recorded three in the third period.

More news

Bruce Bennett / Getty Images

Heading to the Cup finals

  Adam Henrique scored off a wild scramble in front early in OT and the New Jersey Devils defeated the New York Rangers 3-2 to advance to their first Stanley Cup finals since '03. The new Eastern champs will face LA next.

NBC Sports

Highlights: OT goal delivers Devils to Cup finals

  Check out highlights as the New Jersey Devils advanced to the Stanley Cup finals by defeating the New York Rangers, 3-2, in overtime.

Headlines

• Label

PHT Extra: Kings will face toughest foe yet

Gagne back at practice, enjoying Kings' success

PHT: Kings making Lombardi look like a genius

PHT: History doesn't bode well for Kings in finals

PHT: Gretzky says these Kings better than '93 team

PHT: Coyotes' postgame actions 'unacceptable'

PHT: Vigneault confirms Luongo wants out

PHT: Stanley Cup finals will begin May 30