Johnson has go-ahead goal, Lightning beat Penguins 5-4
By MARK DIDTLER, Associated Press
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tyler Johnson had a key goal and a tussle with Sidney Crosby, too.
Johnson and J.T. Miller scored third-period goals as the Tampa Bay Lightning stopped a rare two-game skid with a 5-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday night.
After Johnson got his first goal in 15 games just under five minutes into the period, Miller gave Tampa Bay a 5-3 lead with 5:57 remaining.
“I knew it was just a matter of time,” Johnson said of his 19th goal.
Tanner Pearson pulled the Penguins within 5-4 shortly after Miller’s goal off a steal and pass from behind the net by Crosby.
Crosby played in his 916th game, moving past Mario Lemieux for the most in Penguins history.
Johnson checked Crosby into the boards midway through the second period, and the Penguins star dropped his gloves during a scrum between the two. Both were given roughing penalties at 13:14.
The game also had two fighting majors and a pair of 10-minute misconducts.
“I just think it’s two quality teams,” Johnson said. “Very competitive. Both teams hate to lose, and both teams give it their all. Those things are going to happen.”
The Lightning have lost two in a row just twice this season.
Yanni Gourde, Erik Cernak and Anthony Cirelli also scored for the NHL-leading Lightning, who reached 40 wins for the sixth consecutive season. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 28 saves.
The Penguins also got goals from Garrett Wilson, Jared McCann and Bryan Rust, and Casey DeSmith stopped 29 shots.
Pittsburgh, 2-5-1 over its last eight games, tied it at 3-all on 4-on-4 second-period goals by McCann and Rust.
“I still think to a certain extent, the type of mistakes that we make, we beat ourselves,” Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said. “I thought our fight was there all night long. We pushed back.”
Cirelli stopped a 21-game drought with his fourth short-handed goal to put Tampa Bay ahead 3-1 at 7:42 of the second.
The Penguins have allowed eight short-handed goals.
“I have nothing more to say about the power play,” Sullivan said.
Tampa Bay went up 2-1 on goals by Gourde and Cernak in the first. Brayden Point set up Gourde during a 2-man breakaway at 15:02, and Cernak scored 57 seconds later.
Wilson got his first NHL goal — coming in his 26th game this year and 60th overall — at 13:36 of the first.
Pittsburgh fell to 18-11-5 when scoring first.
Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov, who entered with an NHL-best 81 points, was minus-four and had one shot. He has not scored a goal in 10 straight games.
“I don’t worry about Kuch,” Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said.
NOTES: Pittsburgh C Evgeni Malkin missed his fifth straight game but took part in the morning skate. … Cirelli became the third NHL player to have four short-handed goals this season. … Penguins G Matt Murray was the backup after missing the previous game with an upper-body injury. … Lightning D Braydon Coburn played in his 900th NHL game and had an assist.
UP NEXT
Penguins: Complete a three-game trip Monday night at Florida.
Lightning: Play Sunday at Florida.
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Guentzel, Rust each score twice, Penguins beat Senators 5-3

By DAN SCIFO, Associated Press
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Nick Bjugstad and Jared McCann will always remember their first game with the Pittsburgh Penguins and the whirlwind day surrounding their debuts.
The newly-acquired Bjugstad and McCann made it to the arena minutes before puck drop, and new teammates Bryan Rust and Jake Guentzel each scored twice to help the Penguins beat the Ottawa Senators 5-3 on Friday night.
“Showing up at game time was interesting and might have been better for us because there wasn’t much thinking,” Bjugstad said. “It was pretty surreal. We showed up to the rink and just played. I have dreams every once in awhile where I’m late to a game and that’s kind of what it felt like, but luckily it ended up well, so it was good.”
Teddy Blueger got his first NHL goal and Casey DeSmith stopped 37 shots as the Penguins won their second straight after losing four of their previous five.
Bjugstad contributed in his first game with the Penguins hours after he was acquired from Florida, getting an assist on Rust’s first goal. He also won the offensive zone faceoff and provided a screen in front on Rust’s second goal.
“They told us to keep it simple and that’s kind of what we did,” Bjugstad said.
Bobby Ryan and Mikkel Boedker both scored power-play goals, and Matt Duchene scored on a breakaway for the Senators, who rallied to make it a one-goal game after falling behind, 4-1. Anders Nilsson stopped 35 shots as Ottawa, playing for the first time since Jan. 22, lost its third straight.
“I think we knew they were going to press because they knew we were coming off eight days,” Ryan said. “They got the lead and kind of just stuck to their guns, putting pucks to the net and doing things to wear guys out.”
Earlier in the day, the Penguins acquired forwards Bjugstad and Jared McCann from the Panthers for forwards Derick Brassard, Riley Sheahan and three 2019 draft picks. The deal gives the Penguins an influx of youth in the 26-year-old Bjugstad and the 22-year-old McCann as they make another playoff push.
Bjugstad scored five goals and 12 points in 32 games with the Panthers, while McCann had eight goals and 18 points in 46 games with Florida. Both are signed through the 2020 season, with Bjugstad’s deal expiring the following year.
“We felt like they could fit into our lineup and play certain roles that could help us become a better team,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “I thought they had strong games under difficult circumstances.”
Bjugstad and McCann both took the morning skate with the Panthers, and boarded a plane to Pittsburgh when they learned of the trade.
“We’ll always remember sitting on the plane, wondering if we were going to make it,” Bjugstad said. “We got to a point where we were like “alright, we better start doing something,” so we did a few groin stretches in the plane. There wasn’t much room, but that was about all we could do.”
Bjugstad and McCann received a police escort and arrived at the arena minutes before faceoff, still with their Florida Panther equipment bags as they hurried to join their teammates on the ice. They first appeared on the bench prior to the start of the national anthem.
“Usually I have my coffee and do some stretches, but I didn’t have any of that,” Bjugstad said. “We got here, threw our gear on and ran out for the anthem.”
With Evgeni Malkin out of the lineup, Bjugstad centered the second line, while McCann was the third-line center. Malkin, who recorded his 600th NHL assist on Wednesday, will also miss Saturday’s game at Toronto with an upper-body injury.
Bjugstad played a role on two of the first four goals as Pittsburgh held a three-goal lead in the third period. Both Bjugstad and McCann will be happy to have additional time to prepare Saturday against Toronto.
“You can’t make this up,” Bjugstad said. “It was good to get the win most importantly, but I think I’ll remember this one for the rest of my life.”
NOTES: Ottawa’s Colin White returned after missing five games with a shoulder injury. … Sidney Crosby is three games from tying Hall of Fame owner Mario Lemieux’s franchise record of 915 games played. … Guentzel has seven goals in his last eight games. … Phil Kessel is two points from becoming the 17th American-born player to reach 800 points. … Ottawa’s Mark Stone recorded his 300th NHL point.
UP NEXT
Senators: Host Detroit on Saturday.
Penguins: Visit Toronto on Saturday.
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Penguins acquire Bjugstad, McCann from Panthers
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Penguins have acquired forwards Nick Bjugstad and Jared McCann from the Florida Panthers for forward Derick Brassard, Riley Sheahan and three 2019 draft picks.
The Penguins announced the trade Friday, a move that will give them an influx of youth in the 26-year-old Bjugstad and the 22-year-old McCann as they make another playoff push.
Bjugstad has five goals and seven assists in 32 games for the Panthers this season while McCann has eight goals and 10 assists in 46 contests with Florida. Bjustad is signed through 2021 and carries a contract with an average value of $4.1 million. McCann’s deal is through 2020 and pays him an average of $1.25 million per season.
The deal ends Pittsburgh’s experiment in attempting to make 31-year-old Brassard the team’s third-line center. Acquired in a deal with Ottawa last season, Brassard struggled to generate much offense during his brief time with the Penguins, collecting just 12 goals in 64 games with Pittsburgh.
Sheahan, 27, brought over in a trade with Detroit early in the 2017-18 season, had 18 goals and 23 assists in 122 games with the Penguins.
Pittsburgh also sent a second-round pick and two fourth-round picks in the 2019 draft to Panthers to complete the deal.
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