2015 is already looking positive for the Pittsburgh Penguins, because after Friday night’s 6-3 win against Tampa Bay, they are now first place in the Eastern Conference.
Steve Downie made a triumphant return to the lineup, scoring two third period goals to seal the Penguins win.
“I had a couple of opportunities,” said Downie after the game. “I got lucky tonight. I thought we played well.”
His coach was quicker to praise Downie’s game.
“He’s an underestimated player,” said Penguins head coach Mike Johnston. “He makes good plays with the puck, he hangs on to it, and makes good decisions.”
Assisting on Downie’s first goal was Nick Spaling, who earned his 100th NHL point.
Andrew Ebbett, moved from fourth-line center to second-line left wing, also made his presence known by scoring his first goal of the season, and did it on his birthday
“I think that’s what’s kept me around in this league, is my versatility, to play or wing or center, and I’ve been kind of waiting for an opportunity and that was my chance tonight, and I wanted to make sure I took advantage of it.” said Ebbett of getting to play alongside Evgeni Malkin on the Penguins second line.
Malkin also added a goal, his seventeenth of the season, just after Ebbett’s in the first period. The duo assisted on each other’s goals. It was Malkin’s 11th multi-point game of the season and Ebbett’s first. Bryan Rust also assisted on Malkin’s goal. It was his first-ever NHL assist.
Christian Ehrhoff also had a goal and an assist in just his second game back from a lower-body injury. His late-second period slapshot turned out to be the game winner. It was his third game-winning goal of this season.
Chris Kunitz got the Penguins scoring started with his 12th goal of the season just 1:56 into the 1st period. Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang assisted on the power play goal.
Crosby assisted on four of the Penguins six goals and now has 31 assists on the season, which is fourth best in the NHL.
The Penguins killed all three Tampa power plays. The team’s penalty kill unit now has an 87.5% success rate on the season, third in the NHL.
The Penguins will be right back in action at Consol Energy Center when they face the Canadiens Saturday night at 7:00 p.m.
