These days, it doesn’t appear to matter how the Pittsburgh Penguins start games. The end result is always a win; at least that’s how it has been in the month of March.
The Penguins overcame one of their worst first periods of the season to defeat the New York Islanders 4-2, Friday night.
Just three points back from a playoff spot and slipping fast, the Islanders started the game win a level of desperation the Penguins simply could not match. New York heavily outshot the Penguins 14-3 in the first period, and held Pittsburgh without a shot for nearly the first 13 minutes of the game.
Tomas Vokoun stood tall, keeping the Penguins in the game with a few key saves, but the Islanders grabbed the lead 7:46 into the game. Frans Nielsen won an offensive zone face off back to Matt Carkner who quickly moved the puck to Mark Streit for a one-timer that beat Vokoun, glove side.
The Penguins finally got their legs in the second period and tied the score eight minutes in with a goal by Joe Vitale. Craig Adams corralled a bouncing puck at the attacking blue line and made a slick pass to Vitale creating a two on one for the Penguins. Vitale looked off the defenseman, Travis Hamonic, before firing a perfect wrist shot past Evgeni Nabokov on the far side.
With under three minutes remaining in the second period, the Islanders were buzzing around the Pittsburgh net. Vokoun made a few tough saves but couldn’t prevent New York from retaking the lead. The Penguins tried to clear a shot in front of the net but Hamonic kept the puck in and shot it right at the net. The Penguins, again, knocked the puck down but Josh Bailey found it in front and went around Vokoun to give the Islanders a 2-1 lead.
It looked like one of those nights where, no matter what, the opponent was going to find a way to win. But the Penguins stormed back with under thirty seconds remaining in the second period to tie the game at two. Sidney Crosby raced down right side with the puck and dished a backhand pass to Chris Kunitz along the blue line on the opposite side. Kunitz cut towards the high slot and fired a wrist shot that went five-hole on Nabokov.
If Kunitz’s goal felt like a kick to the belly for the Islanders, Sutter’s goal 1:46 into the third period was a shot through the heart.
After failing to capitalize on a previous two on one rush, the Penguins were able to score to take their first lead of the game. Matt Cooke led a two on one rush and waited patiently for defenseman Matt Carkner to go down before backhanding a perfect pass to Sutter for the goal.
The Islanders nearly scored when a shot by Lubomir Visnovsky hit the crossbar and out. That was as close as the Islanders would get as the Penguins would grind out the rest of the third period and add an empty net goal as time expired.
- The Penguins are 10-2 without Evgeni Malkin in the lineup this year.
- Since the beginning of this win streak, the Penguins have moved from 23rd in goals allowed to 13th.
- Six of Brandon Sutter’s nine goals have come in the third period or overtime this season.
Three Stars
- Chris Kunitz
- Brandon Sutter
- Josh Bailey
Photo courtesy of NHL.com
