NEW YORK — The Dan Muse era began Tuesday with a 3-0 win for the Penguins.

In Muse’s first game as an NHL head coach, the Penguins won their season opener against Mike Sullivan and the rival New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden.

It was probably happenstance that Muse’s first game as a head coach came against his previous team. He spent just two seasons as an assistant here in the Big Apple. But it was hardly a coincidence that the NHL pitted Sullivan against Sidney Crosby and the Penguins in an Opening Night showcase game being aired on national TV.

The Penguins didn’t exactly dazzle those casual observers with offensive wizardry Tuesday. Instead, it was a blue-collar effort for them in Muse’s debut. The Penguins defended hard in front of surprise starting goalie Arturs Silovs and appeared to be more engaged than a veteran Rangers team Sullivan is trying to get over the hump.

The Penguins led, 1-0, after a pretty clean, competitive first period for the visitors. Free-agent acquisition Justin Brazeau scored their first goal of the new campaign.

Their second period was relatively stingy, too. The star-studded Rangers had only one high-danger scoring chance during each of the first two frames, per Sportlogiq.

The Penguins spent much of the third period inside their own end but didn’t give up the equalizer, as Silovs earned the shutout in his first game in black and gold. Brazeau and Blake Lizotte scored late empty-netters to make the final score look lopsided.

It was over when ...

Mika Zibanejad put a shot over the net with a little over five minutes left in the third period. Silovs was down and out after two players tumbled over top of him but Zibanejad just missed. The Rangers did not generate a better chance the rest of the way.

Around the boards

— Harrison Brunicke and Ben Kindel made their NHL debuts Tuesday at Madison Square Garden. They were just the third pair of Penguins teenagers to debut in the same game. Brunicke played on the third pair and Kindel centered their third line.

— Silovs got the start in goal over Tristan Jarry and he finished with 25 saves. Jarry had started their previous five openers. Asked to explain the decision, Muse said there were “a lot” of factors, one being that the coaching staff felt Silovs had a “good camp.” Muse said Jarry will get opportunities to prove himself in the near future.

— Tuesday was the second time in Brazeau’s career that he scored multiple goals.

— Crosby, in his 19th year as Penguins captain, officially moved into a tie with Steve Yzerman, one of his childhood idols, as the longest-tenured captain in NHL history.

— The top power-play unit was Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Rickard Rakell, Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson. The Penguins had only one opportunity and did not do much.

— The Penguins’ scratches were Connor Clifton, Matt Dumba and Filip Hallander.

Coming up next

The Penguins are set to practice Wednesday. They will host the New York Islanders in Thursday’s home opener at PPG Paints Arena. Start time is 7 p.m.

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