Sunshine, Florida (AP) – Eetu Luostarinen scored the game-winning goal in the third period, and the Florida Panthers defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-1 on Friday night. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 26 shots.
For the Panthers, who have won three of their last four games, Anton Lundell got two helpers and Oliver Ekman-Larsson added a goal. Florida was victorious with an empty-netter from Aleksander Barkov.
Pittsburgh scored through former Panthers forward Reilly Smith. Pittsburgh’s record now stands at 11-12-4 after dropping a record-tying four straight games. For the Penguins, Tristan Jarry saved thirty shots.
Coach Paul Maurice of the Panthers stated of Bobrovsky, “I think our goaltending has been really good this year, but there haven’t been a lot of nights where we needed them to be the dominant player.” “But that game is over and there is no coming back if he isn’t as good as he was, so tonight, Sergei had to be the difference in the second period.”
With 2:39 remaining and leading 2-1 to Florida in the third quarter, and Florida was leading 12-2 in shots, Lundell was penalised for hooking, which presented Pittsburgh with a huge chance. Since November 11, the Penguins had not scored in any of their previous 36 power plays, which spanned 14 games and was the greatest drought in the team’s history.
When Jarry went to the bench, it moved from being a 5-on-4 to a 6-on-4, and the Penguins failed to score once again. With 26.7 seconds remaining, Barkov scored as the Panthers ended Pittsburgh’s 37th straight unsuccessful power play.
Sidney Crosby, captain of the Penguins, stated, “We gave ourselves a chance.” That must be done each and every night. does not provide any assurances. However, we gave ourselves an opportunity, and we’ll work to improve going forward.
With 13:50 remaining, the puck bounced into the slot during a faceoff, and Luostarinen knocked it past Jarry to give Florida its first lead of the game, 2-1.
Less than a minute later, Crosby had a chance to knot it for Pittsburgh when he stole a clearing pass deep in the Florida end and skated towards the net from Bobrovsky’s left. To maintain the one-goal advantage, Bobrovsky stepped off the line to reduce the angle, and Crosby was stopped.
“Crosby is such a smart player,” Bobrovsky remarked. He could pick up speed off of almost nothing. I simply got fortunate there by putting the pad out.
Patric Hornqvist, who finished his 15-year NHL career with three seasons with the Panthers, won two Stanley Cups with the Penguins. The clubs honoured him before the game. He joined the Panthers this season after retiring following the previous one.
As he participated in the pregame ceremony with Barkov and Hornqvist’s family, Crosby remarked, “He just worked so hard and he brought out the best in everybody.” “He had high expectations for himself, but he also simply earned everything he did in his career.”
