Penguins Team Report

INSIDE SHOTS

A nice finish to a three-game road trip had the Penguins feeling good as they get set for a busy holiday weekend.

Wins at Atlanta and Florida gave the Pens a 2-1 trip. Now they face four games in six days, two at home, two away.

The Penguins, who have won four of their last five, are home against Montreal on Wednesday, visit the Islanders Friday, play host to the Rangers on Saturday and then visit that same team on Nov. 30.

Monday night, the Pens repeated recent history to get the win. Oct. 23 in Pittsburgh, Florida took a 2-0 lead into the third period, but Sidney Crosby(notes) scored twice in the third and then had the only goal of the shootout. Monday, the Panthers again led 2-0 entering the third, the Penguins again rallied and this time it was Crosby in overtime who got the job done.

Penguins 3, Panthers 2  (OT): Sidney Crosby called it a fortunate break, and that’s exactly what a shaky double minor against Nathan Horton(notes) in overtime turned out to be.

The penalty, actually called by the linesman long after the play—and after Evgeni Malkin(notes) had been robbed by Tomas Vokoun(notes)—was called on Horton, whose stick clipped Brooks Orpik(notes) as Horton fell from a heavy hit by Orpik. Play continued, Malkin was robbed and a discussion ensued. Horton wound up with a double minor and the Pens won the game.

Pascal Dupuis(notes) and Mike Rupp scored in the third period for the Penguins, who came back from two goals down. The Rupp goal came after the Pens pinned the Panthers in their own end for well over a minute.

“We just stuck with things in the third and continued to come out there and we got a couple of big goals in the third,” said Crosby. “We got a fortunate break with the power play in overtime and buried it.”

NOTES, QUOTES

• C Sidney Crosby had gone nine road games without a goal when he connected in overtime to give the Penguins a 3-2 win at Florida. The goal was only the second in the last 12 games for Crosby but allowed him to bury the Panthers for the second straight game. The first time the teams played, Oct. 23, Crosby scored the two goals that wiped out a 2-0 third-period deficit and then had the winner in the shootout.

• G Marc-Andre Fleury(notes) has won two games in a row after going through a 2-6 stretch, backstopping the Penguins’ 3-2 overtime win at Florida on Monday night after winning at Atlanta on Saturday night. He is 13-7 on the season and lifted his career record against Florida to 4-5 with a 19-save outing Monday.

• The Penguins are 5-0 against the Southeast Division this season.

• Monday marked the 41st anniversary of the death of Pete the Penguin, the team’s original mascot.

Quote To Note:   “Good comeback. That was a good job to stick with things.”—Penguins C Sidney Crosby after his team rallied for a 3-2 overtime win at Florida.

ROSTER REPORT

Goaltenders:   Marc-Andre Fleury, Brent Johnson(notes).

Defensmen:   Sergei Gonchar(notes), Mark Eaton(notes), Brooks Orpik, Martin Skoula(notes), Ben Lovejoy(notes), Deryk Engelland(notes).

First Line:   Max Talbot(notes), Sidney Crosby, Bill Guerin(notes).

Second Line:   Ruslan Fedotenko(notes), Evgeni Malkin, Pascal Dupuis.

Third Line:   Matt Cooke(notes), Jordan Staal(notes), Chris Bourque(notes).

Fourth Line:   Eric Godard(notes), Craig Adams(notes), Mike Rupp.

Player Notes:  

• C Sidney Crosby had seven shots on goal without scoring Monday night before connecting for the winner in overtime.

• C Evgeni Malkin had two assists Monday night and is 2-5-7 in five games since returning from injury. His slap shot was rebounded by Sidney Crosby for the winning goal at Florida.

• RW Mike Rupp’s first goal in nine games and fifth of the year brought the Penguins even with Florida in the third period.

Medical Watch:  

• RW Tyler Kennedy(notes) (lower body injury) has missed 12-of-13 games since Oct. 24.

• D Kris Letang(notes) (right shoulder contusion) is practicing in a non-contact capacity. He was injured Nov. 7 at San Jose.

• LW Chris Kunitz(notes) (lower body injury) is out two weeks. He was playing hurt.

• D Alex Goligoski(notes) (lower-body injury) is out two weeks. He was injured Saturday against Boston.

• D Jay McKee(notes) (infected finger) is out 2-4 weeks.