Sheary, Penguins fend off Hurricanes
PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Penguins scored twice on the power play and once in each period Sunday to beat the Carolina Hurricanes for the seventh time in a row, 3-2, at PPG Paints Arena.
Conor Sheary's third-period goal gave Pittsburgh a 3-1 lead and held up as the winner.
Pittsburgh has a two-game winning streak after a four-game losing skid (0-2-2). The modest streak helps the Penguins (48-19-11) remain in position for home ice in the first round of the playoffs.
The loss left Carolina's playoff hopes running on fumes. The Hurricanes (35-29-14) are seven points out of a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with four games left despite a desperate push lately. They were playing less than 24 hours after a loss to the Dallas Mavericks that halted a franchise-record stretch of 13 games with at least a point (9-0-4).
Pittsburgh's Matt Murray (30-10-4) made 33 saves and became the 13th rookie goalie to reach 30 wins since the 1967-68 expansion.
Eddie Lack (7-6-3) stopped 23 shots for the Hurricanes, his first game action since he left the March 27 game against the Detroit Red Wings on a stretcher for what turned out to be a strained neck.
Pittsburgh opened the scoring with Jake Guentzel's power-play goal at 11:28 of the first. He had the equivalent of a layup for a one-timer behind Lack, off of a feed from Chad Ruhwedel.
The Hurricanes tied it at 13:21 of the third when Jeff Skinner scored his 13th goal in his past 15 games. He poked the puck over the line behind Murray, who was above the crease after stopping a shot by Elias Lindholm, who lunged to get to his rebound and pushed it toward Skinner at the far post.
Scott Wilson restored Pittsburgh's lead, 2-1, when he swatted the puck past Lack with a backhand during a scramble in the crease at 7:50 of the second. It was his first goal in 15 games.
Patric Hornqvist set up Sheary for the Penguins' second power-play goal, a lofted shot at 5:07 of the third for a 3-1 lead.
Carolina pulled to within 3-2 on a fluky power-play goal. A shot by Justin Faulk sailed over the net, bounced off the glass and back in front of the net, where it went in off of the back of Murray at 9:38 of the third.
NOTES: Pittsburgh C Sidney Crosby, who leads the NHL with 43 goals, was held without a point. ... Coach Mike Sullivan said the latest addition to Pittsburgh's injury list, LW Chris Kunitz, is out "longer term" because of a lower body injury he got Friday. ... Sullivan reiterated that D Kris Letang, who missed his 17th game because of an upper body injury, could still return for the start of the playoffs. ... The Penguins' healthy scratch was D Cameron Gaunce. ... Carolina scratched D Ryan Murphy and C Jay McClement.