It took three straight times for the Penguins to come back from a deficit but they finally found a way to do it in a 6-5 shootout victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs.
After falling short in a 3-2 loss to Montreal on Saturday, and losing in overtime to the Bruins after scoring with less than a second remaining in regulation, the Penguins were able to finish the job against Toronto, climbing out of a 4-1 deficit in the second period.
Chris Connor, who was called up from Wilkes-Baare to replace Tanner Glass, opened the scoring less than two minutes into the game. Andrew Ebbert, who was also called up to replace Beau Bennett, found the puck in the corner and wired a perfect pass between two defensemen to Connor who slammed the puck into a wide open net.
But the Leafs scored the next four goals and eventually chased goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury from the game.
Dion Phaneuf’s shot from the left point was tipped in by James van Reimsdyk while the Leafs were on the power play to tie the game.
A blocked shot led to a three on one for the Leafs. Nazem Kadri skated with the puck down the right side and buried the shot off the left post and in the net to give the Leafs the lead.
Just thirteen seconds into the second period, Toronto pounced on a turnover behind the net and van Reimsdyk scored in front of the crease to capitalize on Fleury misplaying the puck.
Fleury was pulled for Jeff Zatkoff, who gave up a goal on the first shot. Tyler Bozak took the puck away from Kris Letang behind the Pittsburgh net and fed Kessel who was streaking to the net.
Evgeni Malkin’s one-timer from the right wing circle beat goaltender Jonathan Bernier on the long side to cut the Toronto lead to two. Malkin scored again a few minutes later but the goal was waved off after review showed it was knocked in with a high stick.
Letang added his fifth of the season while on the power play 15:20 into the second period. Letang’s slap shot from the left point hit a skate and deflected past the stick side of Bernier to cut the deficit to one.
The Penguins were content to go into the second intermission down by one, but Bozak knocked in a rebound with five seconds remaining to put the Leafs back up by two.
With a five on three power play early in the third period, James Neal blasted a one-timer past Bernier to make the score 5-4.
Four minutes later, Malkin added his second goal of the game to tie the score at five a piece. Chris Kunitz backhanded a pass to Sidney Crosby who was crashing the net. Bernier made the save, but Malkin pushed the goaltender into the net and then slammed the puck into the cage to knot the score at five a piece.
In the shootout, Crosby and Malkin both scored and Zatkoff stonewalled both Toronto shooters to seal the win for Pittsburgh.
- The Maple Leafs went 25:04 without a shot on goal and were held off the scoresheet in shots in the third period.
- Evgeni Malkin has as many goals in his last five games (three) as he’s had in the previous 21 games this season.
- Jeff Zatkoff has won three straight.
Three Stars
- Evgeni Malkin
- Sidney Crosby
- James van Reimsdyk
Photo courtesy of NHL.com
