The Penguins goal-scoring woes appear to be firmly in the rear-view mirror, after they followed up Saturday night’s 4-2 win in Saint Louis with a commanding 5-1 victory over the Florida Panthers at Consol Energy Center on Sunday night.
Despite the Penguins’ goal-scoring outburst, their best player was goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, who made 34 saves en route to earning the game’s number-one star and his XXth win of the season.
Patric Hornqvist got the scoring started with his first of two goals at 9:18 of the first period. Kris Letang forced a turnover deep in the Florida zone and he found Hornqvist, who muscled through Panthers defenseman Eric Gudbranson to get his stick on the puck and push it through the five hole of Al Montoya.
Evgeni Malkin got the game-winner with just 27 second left in the second period as he collected a Florida turnover in the neutral zone and barged toward the Panthers, turning the puck over to the backhand as he beat Montoya.
In the third period, the Penguins offense came truly unleashed, starting with a Paul Martin tally just 19 seconds into the final frame assisted by Sidney Crosby and Hornqvist.
Then, at 3:53, Hornqvist found his own rebound while the Penguins were on the power play and deposited it behind Montoya to give the Pens a 3-0 lead. Crosby and Malkin assisted on the play. The Penguins power play finished 1-for-3 and scored on back-to-back nights after an 0-for-20 drought.
Malkin finished the Penguins scoring with his second goal of the game at 9:06 of the third period with a backhander off the mask of Montoya and into the top of the net. Zach Sill earned the only assist on the play.
Scottie Upshall broke up Fleury’s shutout bid with the Panthers’ lone goal, scored off a set play from an offensive zone faceoff win by Vincent Trocheck.
With two points, the Penguins have vaulted from fourth to second in the Metropolitan Division, although the third-place Rangers have played three fewer games.
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