Letang scores winner in OT as Pens edge isles
NEW YORK -- Kris Letang scored 1:24 into overtime Friday night as the Pittsburgh Penguins came back to edge the New York Islanders 3-2 at Barclays Center.
Letang's goal was set up by an impressive pass by Sidney Crosby, who deked Brock Nelson and Shane Prince to the right of the Islanders' net and passed to Letang, who fired the puck into a wide open net as New York goalie Jaroslav Halak was stuck leaning in the other direction.
Crosby and Trevor Daley also scored for the Penguins (11-4-2), who bounced back from a 7-1 loss to the Washington Capitals on Wednesday night. Goalie Matt Murray made 20 saves.
Brock Nelson and Anthony Beauvillier scored within less than a minute of each other in the second for the Islanders (5-8-4), who have lost four straight (0-2-2) and seven of eight (1-3-4). Halak recorded 32 saves.
The Penguins took the lead with 4:41 left in the first, when Halak appeared to lose the puck after deflecting a shot by Letang. With Halak searching for the puck, Crosby pounced on the rebound and fired a shot past a diving Thomas Hickey and into the open left corner of the net.
The Islanders snapped a scoreless drought of 116 minutes and 31 seconds by scoring twice in a span of just 43 seconds early in the second. John Tavares set up the game-tying power play goal by gliding between Nick Bonino and Olli Maatta and passing to Ryan Strome. He sent a cross-ice pass to Nelson, who beat Murray from the left faceoff circle at the 1:51 mark.
Beauvillier's unassisted breakaway goal gave the Islanders their first lead since last Saturday against the Florida Panthers. Letang was trying to maintain control as he turned around near center ice, but Beauvillier came around him, picked up the puck and beat Murray with a backhand shot.
The Penguins tied the score with 6:05 remaining in the period following a frantic sequence behind the Islanders' net. Phil Kessel won a battle for the puck amongst a handful of players and passed to a streaking Daley, who fired a sizzling shot past Halak.
NOTES: Islanders general manager Garth Snow spoke for 10 minutes at morning skate and said that while he is always looking for ways to improve the team, he has faith that New York's coaching staff and players can turn the season around. ... The Islanders scratched G Jean-Francois Berube, D Scott Mayfield and C Alan Quine. ... The Penguins scratched RW Patric Hornqvist (concussion), who was injured against the Washington Capitals on Wednesday, as well as D Steve Oleksy and LW Tom Sestito. ... Penguins G Matt Murray, who left in the first period Wednesday night after taking a stick to the head, passed the concussion protocol and started in net. LW Chris Kunitz, who suffered a lower body injury Wednesday, was also active.