Penguins 2, Islanders 1 (SO)
PITTSBURGH -- Kris Letang was the only successful shooter in the shootout, and the Pittsburgh Penguins overcame a remarkable night by rookie goaltender Jean-Francois Berube to beat the New York Islanders 2-1 on Tuesday night.
Berube made 33 saves, including seven in overtime, in only his third career NHL start, but was beaten by Letang on a backhander in the shootout.
Winger Chris Kunitz scored the only Penguins goal in regulation.
Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury made 25 saves and stopped Frans Nielsen, Kyle Okposo and John Tavares in the shootout to gain the extra point for Pittsburgh, which currently owns the Eastern Conference first wild card spot.
Fleury was working on his sixth shutout of the season when Kyle Okposo scored on a power play at 14:35 of the third to tie it 1-1, but still won his 30th game -- his eighth such NHL season.
With Penguins ace penalty-killer Nick Bonino off for slashing, the Penguins couldn't get a tired unit off the ice during an extended shift. The Islanders gathered two previous rebounds before Anders Lee kicked the puck to Okposo near the right post, and Okposo shifted from his backhand to his forehand to lift it over a prone Fleury for his 19th goal of the season.
It was the second night in a row the Islanders rallied in the third, as they came back from a 2-0 deficit in the final period to beat the Florida Panthers 3-2 on Monday night.
With the Islanders playing a back-to-back, Berube was given only his second start since Oct. 10 and excelled, holding off several Penguins' flurries during a scoreless but busy second period in which he made 11 saves.
Before that, Kunitz, playing in his 800th NHL game, put the Penguins up 1-0 by scoring at 15:51 of the first period.
Defenseman Brian Dumoulin, without a goal all season, put a wrist shot on net that Kunitz tipped perfectly, causing the puck to deflect under the crossbar and past Berube.
Sidney Crosby picked up the second assist, giving him 14 points during a nine-game scoring streak.
Despite playing left wing on Crosby's line, the goal was only the second in eight games for Kunitz and his third in 13 games.
NOTES: With G Jaroslav Havak (groin) out for the rest of the season, G Jean-Francois Berube got the start. Berube is backing up G Thomas Greiss, who was in net for a 3-2 win over the Florida Panthers on Monday. ... Islanders LW Mikhail Grabovski returned from a 10-game upper-body injury layoff and went on the top line with C John Tavares and RW Kyle Okposo. RW Steve Bernier was inserted onto the third line, and D Brian Strait was paired with D Thomas Hickey. ... Penguins LW Scott Wilson remained out with an injury sustained Friday at Columbus. ... Penguins D Ben Lovejoy missed his 12th consecutive game with an upper-body injury, even though coach Mike Sullivan said he is essentially ready to return. ... The Islanders scratched D Ryan Pulock, C Shane Prince, D Marek Zidlicky, C Brock Nelson, LW Eric Boulton and Halak. The Penguins held out Wilson, Lovejoy, C Evgeni Malkin, G Jeff Zatkoff and D Derrick Pouliot.