Pittsburgh 4, Florida 2
When: 7:00 PM ET, Thursday, December 15, 2022
Where: FLA Live Arena, Sunrise, Florida
Referees:
Jean Hebert, Conor O'Donnell
Linesmen:
Shandor Alphonso, Scott Cherrey
Attendance:
14538
By Field Level Media
Kris Letang and Evgeni Malkin each scored a goal and dished an assist, leading the Pittsburgh Penguins to their seventh straight win, defeating the host Florida Panthers, 4-2, on Thursday night in Sunrise, Fla.
The Penguins, who are on a 14-2-2 run, also got two goals from Jake Guentzel, including an empty-netter. Sidney Crosby added two assists.
Malkin scored his goal when Crosby's blistering wrist shot went in off his right leg to give the Penguins a 3-1 lead with 11:55 left in the game. Malkin crumpled to the ice and was helped to the locker room.
Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry was spectacular, making 32 saves to improve to 14-3-3. He is 10-0-1 in his past 11 games.
Florida got goals from Ryan Lomberg and Sam Reinhart. Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, who made his fifth straight start, had 35 saves.
The Panthers were without star winger Matthew Tkachuk (illness), who leads Florida in assists (25) and points (39).
Florida was without five more forwards, all due to injuries: Colin White, Chris Tierney, Anthony Duclair, Anton Lundell and Patrick Hornqvist.
However, Carter Verhaeghe, who leads the Panthers with 15 goals, returned after missing Tuesday's game due to illness. He had one assist in his return.
Florida opened the scoring with 5:30 expired in the first period as Eric Staal's shot was saved by Jarry before Lomberg scored on a bad-angle rebound.
Pittsburgh tied the score on Letang's short-handed goal with 4:17 gone in the second. On the rush, Bryan Rust threaded a perfect pass to set up Letang.
The Penguins took a 2-1 lead on a power-play goal with 7:18 left in the second. On the play, Malkin's shot bounced in off Guentzel's right skate. Bobrovsky wanted the goal disallowed for a kick, but the Panthers did not ask for a video review.
After Crosby's shot deflected off Malkin to make it 3-1, Florida cut its deficit to one goal. Verhaeghe's long backhand pass found Reinhart, who beat Jarry stick-side on a blast from the left circle with 9:46 left.
But Guentzel's empty-netter with 1:18 to play sealed the game.
--Field Level Media
Top Game Performances
Pittsburgh |
|
Florida |
Jake Guentzel 2 |
Points |
Ryan Lomberg 1 |
Jake Guentzel 2 |
Goals |
Ryan Lomberg 1 |
Sidney Crosby 2 |
Assists |
Brandon Montour 1 |
Jake Guentzel 1 |
Power Play Goals |
N/A |
Kris Letang 1 |
Short Handed Goals |
N/A |
Tristan Jarry .941 |
Save Percentage |
Sergei Bobrovsky .921 |
Tristan Jarry 32 |
Saves |
Sergei Bobrovsky 35 |
Team Stats Summary
Team |
Shots |
Goals |
Power Play |
Penalty Kill |
Penalty Mins |
Face Offs Won |
Pittsburgh
|
39 |
4 |
2-3 |
3-3 |
6 |
37 |
Florida
|
34 |
2 |
0-3 |
1-3 |
6 |
34 |
Upcoming Games
-
Florida will play their next game on the road against New Jersey. The Panthers have a W/L % of .214 after a win and .647 after a loss.
-
Pittsburgh will play their next game on the road against Carolina. The Penguins have a W/L % of .778 after a win and .333 after a loss.