Category: NHL

Scoring Updates: Penguins vs. Islanders Friday, April 12, 2019 at 7:30 pm.

 

 

 First Second Final 
Pittsburgh Penguins

011
New York Islanders013
GoalsIslanders:
Anthony Beauvillier

Penguins:
Erik Gudbranson		Islanders:
Josh Bailey
Jordan Eberle

Bailey lifts Islanders past Penguins 4-3 in OT in Game 1

 

 

UNIONDALE, N.Y. (AP) — Josh Bailey scored on a rebound at 4:39 of overtime and the New York Islanders beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3 on Wednesday night in the opener of their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series.

Jordan Eberle had a goal and an assist, and Brock Nelson and Nick Leddy also scored for New York, which was opening a postseason series at home for the first time in 31 years. Robin Lehner stopped 41 shots.

Phil Kessel and Evgeni Malkin each had a goal and an assist, and Justin Schultz also scored for the Penguins. Matt Murray finished with 29 saves.

On the winning goal, Barzal brought the puck into the offensive zone on a 2-on-1 break, faked in front to draw Murray out and sent a backhand shot that bounced off the left post, but Bailey was there to knock it in.

Game 2 is Friday night back at the Nassau Coliseum.

Tom Kuhnhackl, who had a goal in the opening minute of the game waved off for offside, nearly won it for the Islanders 1:12 into the extra period as he crashed into Murray and the puck crossed the goal line but not before the net came loose. The no-goal was confirmed after a review.

The Islanders led three times in regulation with the Penguins managing to tie it each time.

Leddy gave the Islanders a 3-2 lead with 7:25 left in the third as he sent a long shot from left point at the blue line that knuckled past Murray.

With Murray pulled for an extra skater, Schultz fired a one-timer from the left circle past Lehner inside the left post with 1:29 left as the Penguins tied the score for the third time.

Bailey had a chance at the winner for the Islanders in the closing seconds of the third, but his shot hit the right post. It was the second time in the period a New York player hit a goal post as Matt Martin did it in the opening minute.

Malkin tied it 2-2 on a power play with 6:19 left in the middle period as his shot from the inside edge of the right circle deflected off Islander defenseman Adam Pelech’s stick and up past Lehner.

The raucous crowd that was chanting “Let’s Go Islanders!” from before the teams came out for pregame warmups, roared when the Islanders stepped on the ice and booed loudly when the Penguins followed. They got loud again in the minutes before the teams emerged from their dressing rooms for the start of the game.

Pittsburgh outshot New York 17-12 in the first period, but the Islanders led 2-1 after 20 minutes.

Just more than a minute after Kuhnhackl’s opening-minute goal was overturned, Eberle did give the Islanders the lead as he stopped a deflection of Pelech’s shot, turned and beat Murray through the five-hole from the right side for his first career postseason goal at 1:40.

The Penguins tied it when Dominik Simon brought the puck down the middle and dropped a pass back to Kessel, who put it past Lehner off the post and in at 5:42.

Nelson put the Islanders back in front on the power play as he got a pass in front from Eberle and put it past Murray with 4:14 left in the opening period.

NOTES: Malkin, Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang are the only Penguins players remaining from the 2013 playoff series against the Islanders. New York has five players left — Nelson, Josh Bailey, Casey Cizikas, Thomas Hickey and Matt Martin. … Kessel also scored in each of the last three games during the regular season. … Malkin’s goal was his 63rd in the playoffs, breaking a tie with Bobby Hull for sole possession of 26th place on the NHL’s career list. … Islanders coach Barry Trotz and Penguins coach Mike Sullivan are facing off in the playoffs for the fourth straight year. The previous three were all in the second round while Trotz was with Washington, and the winner of Penguins-Capitals series went on to win the Stanley Cup each time.

UP NEXT

Game 2 is Friday night before the series shifts to Pittsburgh for Games 3 and 4.

Scoring Updates: Penguins vs. Islanders Wednesday, April 10, 2019 at 7:30 pm.

 

 

 First Second Final 
Pittsburgh Penguins

123
New York Islanders224
GoalsIslanders:
Jordan Eberle (1:40)
Brock Nelson (15:46)

Penguins:
Phil Kessel (5:42)		Penguins:
Evgeni Malkin (13:41)		Islanders:
Nick Leddy (12:35)
Josh Bailey OT (4:39)

Penguins:
Justin Schultz (18:31)

Strome scores in OT to lift Rangers past Penguins 4-3

 

 

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Ryan Strome scored 2:09 into overtime and the New York Rangers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3 Saturday night in the regular-season finale.

Brendan Smith, Brady Skjei and Vladislav Namestnikov also scored for New York, long eliminated from playoff contention for the second straight year. Alexandar Georgiev stopped 36 shots while starting for the second straight night. The Rangers snapped a three-game skid and won for just the fifth time in their final 21 games (5-10-6).

Sidney Crosby, Nick Bjugstad and Jake Guentzel scored for the Penguins, who earned a point to secure third-place in the Metropolitan Division and a matchup with the New York Islanders in the first round of the playoffs. Matt Murray finished with 26 saves while starting g20 of Pittsburgh’s last 21 games.

Skjei and Namestnikov scored 1:16 apart to give the Rangers a 3-2 lead with 6:10 remaining in regulation. Namestnikov’s go-ahead goal was the 15th short-handed score allowed by Pittsburgh, tied for worst in the league.

However, Guentzel tied it with his 40th of the season with 2:35 to play, becoming the 20th player in franchise history to reach the mark. Crosby, who scored his 35th earlier in the game, had an assist on the play for his 100th point. Crosby reached the mark for the sixth time in his career, and first time since 2013-14.

Crosby opened the scoring at 6:36 of the first period when he converted a one-timer from Guentzel during a 2-on-1.

Smith tied it with 7:11 left in the opening period as he beat Murray on a partial breakaway following a turnover by Garrett Wilson at center ice.

Bjugstad put Pittsburgh in front 2-1 at 2:28 of the third. Marcus Pettersson’s point shot deflected off the stick of Patric Hornqvist and went to Bjugstad, who put the puck in near the left post for his 14th.

Skjei tied it with 7:26 to play when he beat Murray with a wrist shot from the slot during a 3-on-2 for his eighth.

NOTES: Pittsburgh recorded 100 points for the 10th time in the last 12 full seasons. … Penguins D Brian Dumoulin missed his third straight game, but he skated Saturday morning. … Guentzel joined Chris Kunitz as the only players other than Crosby and Evgeni Malkin to lead the team in goals during the Crosby and Malkin era. … Guentzel, Phil Kessel, and Jack Johnson played all 82 games for Pittsburgh. Kessel played in every game for the ninth consecutive year, a total of 774 straight games. Pettersson, who spent time in Anaheim this season, led the league in games played with 84 this season. Mika Zibanejad played in every game for New York.

UP NEXT

Rangers: End of season

Penguins: Open the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs at the New York Islanders.

Scoring Updates: Penguins vs. Rangers Saturday, April 6, 2019 at 7:00 pm.

 

 

 First Second Final 
Pittsburgh Penguins

113
New York Rangers114
GoalsPenguins:
Sidney Crosby (6:36)

Rangers:
Brendan Smith (12:49)		Penguins:
Jake Guentzel (17:25)
Nick Bjugstad (2:28)


Rangers:
Brady Skjei (12:34)
Vladislav Namestnikov (13:50)
Ryan Strome (OT) (2:09)

Penguins lock up playoff berth with 4-1 win over Red Wings

Penguins lock up playoff berth with 4-1 win over Red Wings
By WILL GRAVES AP Sports Writer
PITTSBURGH (AP) — So much for the slow start. The seemingly endless string of injuries to bold-faced names, to the ones that left the Pittsburgh Penguins drifting aimlessly for long stretches.
Then March came. April, too. And the Penguins did what they always seem to do when the number of games dwindles and the stakes rise. They found themselves in time to reach the playoffs.
The proof came over three periods against Detroit on Thursday night. Phil Kessel regained his scoring touch. Sidney Crosby threw his body — and the puck — into the net. Matt Murray swung the momentum with sprawling save on a breakaway and Pittsburgh extended the NHL’s longest postseason streak to 13 years and counting with a 4-1 victory over the Red Wings.
“It’s not easy,” said Crosby, who finished with a goal and two assists. “You can see it comes down to Game 81. There are a lot of things that happened over the course of the year. It’s difficult. It’s a tight league and you have to earn it.”
Something the Penguins have done better than any other team in the NHL since 2007, a stretch that includes three Stanley Cups and an appearance in a Cup final. While they’ll hardly be among the favorites when the Eastern Conference quarterfinals begin next week, they have a shot. Considering where they were at various times over the last six months — from Murray’s early struggles to injuries to Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, Justin Schultz and Olli Maatta among other — they’ll take it.
“I believe in this group,” coach Mike Sullivan said. “When we play the game the right way, I think we can compete with any team in the league. We have difference makers in the lineup. … I believe this group is capable of great things.”
For the first time in a while, the pieces are in place. Malkin picked up an assist in his return from an eight-game absence due to an upper-body injury. Letang skated a team-high 25:52 in just his fourth game since Feb. 23, thanks to an upper-body injury of his own. Their presence gives the Penguins depth and offensive firepower few in the league can match.
“I think the impact they have is huge,” Sullivan said. “Both guys are just, they’re dominant players. It just changes the whole dynamic of our team.”
Particularly when the Penguins are on the power play. Pittsburgh scored twice against the Red Wings with the man advantage, with both goals coming from the top group. Kessel’s tap-in from the left post at 18:18 of the first period put the Penguins in front to stay. Crosby’s jam from in close at 6:36 of the third period — a shot that came as he was being dumped into the net — ended a 10-game goal drought for the captain and drained the final minutes of any tension, a small respite at the end of a draining slog of a season.
Matt Puempel scored his first NHL goal in more than two years for the Red Wings. Jimmy Howard finished with 43 saves, but couldn’t quite duplicate his spectacular performance in a victory over the Penguins on Tuesday as Detroit’s six-game winning streak came to a halt.
“If you have Malkin and Letang back in your lineup, you’re a much better team (and) it creates real hard matchups on the road especially when we’re thin to begin with,” Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. “And I don’t think our best players were as good as they have been. They’ve been excellent through this stretch.”
One the Red Wings — who will miss the playoffs for the third straight year after making it every season from 1991-2016 — hope they can carry forward next fall.
The Penguins have more pressing matters, like trying to bolster their postseason position. A win over the New York Rangers on Saturday assures Pittsburgh of a meeting with the New York Islanders in the opening round. A loss and a victory by Carolina and the Penguins would drop to the top wild-card spot and face Washington for a fourth straight year.
There are far worse problems to have. For a few moments Thursday, they tried to enjoy a moment that has become a rite of spring for the franchise for more than a decade, even if the path this time proved bumpier than usual. Not that it matters now. The playoffs offer a chance to reset, a button the Penguins are eager to push.
“I think we have a good team here,” Kessel said. “We’ll see who we play coming up. We’ll give it our all.”
NOTES: Penguins C Matt Cullen played in his 1,515th game, passing Hall of Famer Steve Yzerman for 19th on the NHL’s all-time list. … Detroit F Tyler Bertuzzi was held without a point to end his franchise-record streak of games with at least three points at four. … The Red Wings went 1 for 2 on the power play. The Penguins were 2 for 4.
UP NEXT
Red Wings: Wrap up 2018-19 at home Saturday against Buffalo.
Penguins: Finish the regular season at home against the New York Rangers on Saturday.
___
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Pens fall to Redwings 4-1

Bertuzzi stays hot as Red Wings beat Penguins 4-1
By PAUL HARRIS Associated Press
DETROIT (AP) — The Pittsburgh Penguins came up empty when they tried to clinch a playoff spot on Tuesday night.
Tyler Bertuzzi led the way for the Detroit Red Wings once again.
Bertuzzi had two goals and an assist, and Detroit beat Pittsburgh 4-1 for its sixth consecutive victory.
The 24-year-old Bertuzzi became the first player in franchise history with four consecutive three-point games. He has five goals and eight assists during a five-game point streak.
“I think I’m still a little shocked right now. I haven’t comprehended it yet but it’s something special,” Bertuzzi said. “Like I’ve said before, I can’t thank my teammates enough, my linemates for that run.”
Detroit (32-38-10) also got two goals from Anthony Mantha, who has five goals and seven assists during a six-game point streak. Dylan Larkin had three assists, and Jimmy Howard made 38 saves.
The Red Wings also announced a two-year contract extension for coach Jeff Blashill on Tuesday morning. This was the final season of Blashill’s four-year deal.
Phil Kessel scored for Pittsburgh, and Matt Murray stopped 22 shots.
“We have to have a short memory,” Murray said. “This game is over and now we’ve got to get a win and get ourselves locked into the postseason.”
The Penguins (43-26-11) are third in the Metropolitan Division, two points behind the New York Islanders and two points ahead of Carolina. They have two games left on the schedule.
Bertuzzi’s second goal put Detroit ahead to stay with 9:34 left in the second period. He beat Murray from the bottom of the left circle for his 21st of the season.
Mantha made it 3-1 with 8:39 left in the third when he outraced Penguins defenseman Marcus Pettersson for Larkin’s high flip pass in the Pittsburgh zone for a partial breakaway. He added an empty-netter with 2:24 left to tie his career high of 24 goals.
Detroit jumped in front on an unusual goal with 9:40 left in the first.
It originally appeared that Murray had made a spectacular glove save on Bertuzzi’s one-timer from the bottom of the right circle at an apparent wide-open side of the net.
But it went to review, after the next play stoppage, and the overhead replay showed the puck in Murray’s glove but completely over the goal line. The play was ruled a goal after a two-to-three minute process.
Kessel tied the game with 22 seconds left in the opening period when he tapped one in from the bottom of the right circle off a feed from Sidney Crosby on a 2-on-1 rush. It was Kessel’s 25th goal.
NOTES: Among the players who remain out for Pittsburgh are C Evgeni Malkin (upper body), who missed his eighth game, and D Kris Letang (upper body), who sat out his fourth game. … Detroit recalled D Joe Hicketts from AHL Grand Rapids on Monday after D Danny DeKeyser suffered a lower-body injury in Sunday’s 6-3 win over the Boston Bruins.
UP NEXT
The Penguins and Red Wings play again on Thursday in Pittsburgh.

Penguins inch closer to playoff spot, top Hurricanes 3-1

 

 

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Matt Murray stopped 37 shots and the Pittsburgh Penguins inched closer to a playoff berth with a 3-1 win over Carolina on Sunday night.

Matt Cullen, at 42 the NHL’s oldest player, had a goal and an assist for Pittsburgh. Garrett Wilson collected his first goal in nearly two months and Patric Hornqvist added his first even-strength score since early January. Murray did the rest while as the Penguins took a major step toward assuring itself of a spot in the postseason for the 13th consecutive year, the longest active streak in the league

Pittsburgh needs just two points over its final three games or a loss by Montreal to lock up a playoff spot.

Carolina’s bid to reach the postseason for the first time in a decade took a hit. The Hurricanes have 93 points with a week to go in the regular season, just one point ahead of the ninth-place Canadiens.

Jacob Slavin’s power-play goal with just under 8 minutes to go spoiled Murray’s bid for a shutout but by then the Penguins were firmly in control. Curtis McElhinney finished with 25 saves while losing for the third time in four starts.

Playing without injured stars Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang, the Penguins relied on their depth and the kind of defensive grit they’ve lacked at times this season. Carolina came in leading the NHL in shots per game (34.5), but could get little going in front of Murray until it trailed by three.

Wilson put the Penguins in front just past the midway point of the first period, crashing the net following a feed by Cullen from the corner and then jabbing at the puck until it emerged from a pile of bodies in front of McElhinney and slid across the goal line.

Cullen, playing in his 1,513th career game — one shy of tying Hall of Famer Steve Yzerman for 19th on the NHL’s all-time games played list — doubled Pittsburgh’s advantage late in the first period when he and Olli Maatta broke in on McElhinney 2 on 1. Rather than slip the pass to his teammate, Cullen zipped a wrist shot from the right circle that sailed over McElhinney’s right arm and into the net for his seventh of the season.

Hornqvist, who left briefly in the first period when his head hit the boards while getting checked by Carolina’s Dougie Hamilton, earned a measure of revenge 46 seconds into the third period when he collected a blind backhanded drop pass from Dominik Simon and beat McElhinney from the bottom of the right circle. The goal was Hornqvist’s 18th of the year and his first non-power play tally since Jan. 6.

Carolina mustered little in response.

The Hurricanes didn’t reach double digits on the shot counter until past the game’s midway point as the Penguins clogged the shooting lanes. When Carolina did manage to find some space, Murray either came up with the stop or the Hurricanes couldn’t get the bounce they needed. Sebastien Aho hit the post from the left circle in the second period and when the Hurricanes did finally get it going midway through the final period, it was too late.

Slavin’s seventh of the season provided a bit of life, but Pittsburgh withstood a push over the final minutes to all but assure itself of a chance to make a run at its third Stanley Cup in four seasons.

NOTES: Letang, Malkin, F Zach Aston-Reese and D Chad Ruhwedel all skated on Sunday morning but remain out with injuries. … The Hurricanes went 1 for 2 on the power play. The Penguins were 0 for 1. … The teams split the season series 2-2. … Pittsburgh rookie Adam Johnson picked up the first two assists of his career.

UP NEXT

Hurricanes: Visit Toronto on Tuesday.

Penguins: Begin a home-and-home series with the Red Wings on Tuesday in Detroit.