Pittsburgh Penguins outlast Nashville Predators in overtime win
When Sidney Crosby and his Pittsburgh Penguins team-mates gain control of the puck in a game, magical things often happen.
The Nashville Predators were iced by the Penguins’ offensive superstars' firepower as they visited the Pens at the Consol Energy Centre last night, losing 4-3.
Predators head coach Barry Trotz admitted that Nashville had some problems stopping the ever-powerful Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin during the game. The two combined for five points.
“It was hard to maintain Crosby and Malkin, there's no question,” Trotz said. “We don’t get to see Crosby and Malkin very often, but when we do, up close and personal, they’re pretty dynamic.”
Tthe Preds who drew the first blood in this game. David Legwand got the visitors off to a good start with a wrist shot that beat Penguins’ goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury at 0:53 of the first
period. Jordin Tootoo and Joel Ward were credited with the assists on the goal.
From there on in, the game became a see-saw battle. Evgeni Malkin got his third goal of the season 54 seconds into the second frame with a wrist shot that drew assists from Mike Comrie
and Kris Letang. The Predators replied at 8:03 while on the power play, with Cody Franson’s slap shot easily lighting the lamp. Penguins Captain Sidney Crosby added his fifth goal of the season at 13:51 on a wrist shot that Pekka Rinne of the Preds didn’t
have a chance on.
The two teams traded goal again in the third period. Patric Hornqvist scored at 5:08, with Colin Wilson and Martin Erat picking up the assists. Crosby then replied for the home team at
12:56, using a slap shot to tie the game at three goals apiece and force overtime.
Overtime did not last the full five minutes, as Kris Letang fired a slap shot that won the game for the Penguins at 3:49. He finished the game with three points to his name, as did Crosby.
Post-game, Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma said that the back-and-forth battle during the game was similar to a play-off game.
“It felt more like April or May,” Bylsma said. “Nashville had the lead three times in the first, second and third. Our guys kept responding.”
Crosby, who assisted on Letang’s game-winning goal, provided an analysis of how he and Tyler Kennedy were the authors of the play that led to the goal being scored.
“Tyler Kennedy took the puck wide and dropped it back to me,” Crosby said of the play. “Letang did a great job of getting up in the play. I just found him. I don't know where his shot
went, but he got a lot on it.”
The Preds and Pens will both play again on Saturday, 23 October. Pittsburgh will play the St. Louis Blues, while Nashville will battle the Dallas Stars.
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