Abstract: There is provided a piston ring assembly for eliminating a gas flow path between a piston and a cylinder. The piston ring assembly features a piston ring member forming a natural upper end-gap and a gap seal member forming a natural lower end-gap which are disposable around the piston. The gap seal member has a node that is spaced apart from the natural lower end-gap. The node may be inserted within the natural upper end-gap to retain the gap seal member in place with respect to the piston ring member. This prevents the natural upper and lower end-gaps from becoming aligned with each other so as to eliminate the gas flow path between the piston and the cylinder. The piston ring member may also form a flange which extends normal to a lower ring surface and is circumscribed by the gap seal member when the node is inserted within the natural upper end-gap.