Crosby registers three points as Pens top Stars
PITTSBURGH -- Sidney Crosby extended his NHL lead in goals with his 16th, and goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury won for the first time in six starts Thursday in the Pittsburgh Penguins' 6-2 victory over the Dallas Stars at PPG Paints Arena.
The Stars lost their third game in a row and fell for the fourth time in five.
The teams played to a 2-2 tie -- with Ian Cole and Patrik Hornqvist scoring for Pittsburgh, Devin Shore and Tyler Seguin for the Stars -- before Crosby scored a sparkler of a goal in the final minute of the second period for a 3-2 Penguins edge.
Crosby used a backhand pass -- his second assist and third point -- to set up Conor Sheary for an insurance goal as the Penguins broke things open with three goals in the final 3:38 of regulation. Eric Fehr scored his 100th career goal, an empty-netter, and Nick Bonino made it 6-3.
Fleury (7-5-3) made 33 saves. He was 0-3-1 with a no-decision in his previous five starts.
Dallas goalie Antti Niemi (5-3-2) stopped 34 of the 38 shots he faced.
Cole gave the Penguins a 1-0 lead during four-on-four play at 8:47 of the first. He blasted a rising shot from above the right circle past Niemi's blocker. Phil Kessel picked up his team-leading 16th assist.
Dallas tied it 1-1 at 11:25 of the first when a shot from the right dot by Stephen Johns banked in off of Shore, who was among a crowd in front. That brought a cheer from a group in the stands as Johns, of nearby Wampum, Pa., picked up an assist in his first NHL game in his hometown.
Hornqvist broke the tie during a five-on-three advantage with a turning backhand shot from just above the crease, making it 2-1 at 7:43 of the second.
The Stars again pulled even, on Seguin's severe-angle one-timer during a power play at 11:24 of the second.
Crosby scored his league-leading 16th goal with 21.5 seconds left in the second to give Pittsburgh a 3-2 lead, batting a rebound out of the air and off Niemi from beside the left post.
NOTES: Pittsburgh D Trevor Daley faced his original team for the first time. Daley played 756 games over 11 seasons with the Stars before being traded to Chicago and then to the Penguins last season. ... Dallas D Stephen Johns, a native of Wampum, Pa., expected 200 to 300 friends and family at PPG Paints Arena for his first NHL game in his hometown, his 32nd NHL game overall. ... Johns and D Dan Hamhuis played for the second game in a row as Stars coach Lindy Ruff continues to search for the right playing combination of defensemen. ... Penguins LW Chris Kunitz (lower body) and D Derrick Pouliot (lower body) remain out because of injuries, but both are practicing and appear close to being cleared to play. ... Dallas also scratched D Patrik Nemeth, LW Curtis McKenzie and RW Adam Cracknell. ... Pittsburgh's healthy scratches were LW Jake Guentzel -- who had played in five games in a row since his first NHL call-up -- LW Tom Sestito and D Steve Olesky. ... The game was the Penguins' first of 10 at home, 15 overall, in December.