Crosby’s late goal keeps Penguins streak intact
PITTSBURGH 鈥� The Penguins have had their ups and downs over the course of this season, but no matter what happened along the way one streak stayed intact 鈥� they had not lost back-to-back games in regulation.
Just when it looked like that would end against the New Jersey Devils on Saturday night, the captain scored the game-tying goal with 14 seconds left in the game (they would go on to win 4-3 in a shootout).
The streak has been a badge of honor for the club since Mike Sullivan arrived.
Since losing the first four games under the new coach, the Penguins have showed amazing resilience in going 15-0-1 after a loss. Overall, the streak has spanned 96 combined regular-season and playoff games.
No one in the organization was satisfied with the team鈥檚 efforts during the ugly 6-2 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Friday and Sullivan shuffled his roster ahead of the game with New Jersey.
Defenseman Brian Dumoulin was scratched in favor of Steve Oleksy, Matt Cullen was elevated to Crosby鈥檚 left wing and Evgeni Malkin was flanked by rookie Jake Guentzel and Bryan Rust.
鈥淚 think he鈥檚 just trying to get everybody going,鈥� Crosby said of the changes. 鈥淲e had a tough game in Minnesota there and I think that usually works best when you don鈥檛 have a good game 鈥� shake things up 鈥� give guys a different look and tonight I think we responded the right way. It just took a little bit to get there.鈥�
The Devils opened the scoring just 3:33 into the first period, but the Penguins carried play for stretches and were out-shooting them 19-8 after 20 minutes. All of those shots didn鈥檛 yield much against Devils鈥� goaltender Keith Kinkaid, but they would break through early in the second.
Guentzel scored his third of the season 1:23 into the second and Tom Kuhnhackl, who was skating on a new-look fourth line with Eric Fehr and Scott Wilson, put them up 2-1 at 2:38.
Just when it looked like the Penguins were in control, they gave it right back.
Former Penguin and current Devils鈥� defenseman Ben Lovejoy was called for high sticking at 3:10 of the period, but not only did the power play come up empty, they gave up a shorthanded goal.
Vernon Fiddler, who has been a tenacious role player through his career, took a bobbled puck the length of the ice and beat goaltender Matt Murray for a shorthanded goal to tie the game 2-2.
The power play was held scoreless on five attempts in the game.
鈥淣ot good. Not good,鈥� defenseman Kris Letang said of the power play. 鈥淲e had some chances, had some shots but we didn鈥檛 have anybody in front and it鈥檚 tough to beat the goalie when he sees the puck. It鈥檚 an asset we have to work on.鈥�
Devils鈥� forward Mike Cammalleri picked up his second goal of the game at 9:19, and it looked the Devils would end the streak.
The Penguins were buzzing around Kinkaid throughout the third period, but he made the lead stand up. His play seemed to have the Penguins overthinking their approach, as they were shooting high and wide, but that ended when Crosby tied the game.
It was the kind of goal that Crosby has been scoring all season long. He camped out to the right of the goaltender and waited for his moment. The puck was shot into traffic in front of the net and just when it seemed Kinkaid would fall on it, the puck fell to open space, where Crosby snatched it and fired it over the goaltender to even the score.
鈥淛ust trying to stay patient there,鈥� Crosby said. 鈥淭he puck is in a bunch of feet and you hope you can eventually get a stick on it, whether it鈥檚 going to jump loose and so many bodies, guys fighting for it. I just tried to wait it out and was able to get a stick on it and get a shot away.鈥�
The goal sparked the Penguins, as they outplayed the Devils in overtime. Letang had two great chances 鈥� one a breakaway 鈥� but he wasn鈥檛 able to beat Kinkaid.
He鈥檇 finally get it done in the shootout, beating the Devils鈥� goaltender with a few dekes before flipping the puck into the empty net.
Letang鈥檚 goal earned the win, but Sullivan pointed out it wouldn鈥檛 have been possible without Crosby.
鈥淚t鈥檚 obviously a huge goal for us and I think Sid is probably the best in the league in front of the net because he has such a great stick,鈥� Sullivan said. 鈥淗e can pull the puck through traffic, out of people鈥檚 feet, between sticks.鈥�