The Pittsburgh Penguins kicked off their five-game road trip with a nail-biter, rallying in the third period with two late goals but ultimately falling 5-4 in a shootout against the Carolina Hurricanes at the Lenovo Center.
“We’re a resilient team,” said Stuart Skinner. “We’ve got guys who will do whatever it takes to win games and get a point. Playing in March against a tough team in their building, coming back on them is impressive.”
Before the puck dropped, Head Coach Dan Muse announced that forward Justin Brazeau is week-to-week with an upper body injury, while defenseman Sam Girard is day-to-day with a similar issue.
Carolina came out with energy, quickly seizing momentum in the opening minutes. Logan Stankoven capitalized on a loose puck in front of Skinner, netting his 12th goal of the season to put the Hurricanes on the board first.
“When you’re up against strong teams, momentum swings are part of the game,” Bryan Rust noted. “You want to maximize yours and minimize theirs.”
The Penguins found their stride as the period progressed. Ville Koivunen, fresh off a standout performance against Boston, set up Anthony Mantha with just 56 seconds left in the period to tie it up 1-1. Mantha’s goal was his 24th of the season, matching his career-high point total of 48, and he’s closing in on his career-high in goals.
Despite starting the second period with two power-play opportunities, Pittsburgh couldn’t capitalize. Instead, shorthanded chances by Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis were thwarted by Skinner.
“We lost, but without Skinner, we’d probably lose by three,” Ryan Shea remarked. “We need to play better defense when he’s in net; he’s giving us everything.”
The Hurricanes’ penalty troubles gave Pittsburgh four straight man advantages, and this time, Bryan Rust lifted a shot over Andersen’s shoulder for a 2-1 lead.
Tensions flared as Noel Acciari and Alexander Nikishin tangled up, both earning roughing penalties.
“In games like this, it feels like a playoff environment,” Skinner said. “There’s a lot of momentum shifts, and we did well to control it.”
Through 40 minutes, Skinner was a wall, stopping 24 of 25 shots, including high-danger chances.
However, Carolina struck early in the third, with Mark Jankowski and Jarvis scoring less than a minute apart to grab a 3-2 lead.
“You can’t let that slip,” Rust emphasized. “They play hard. A half-second lapse, and they’ll capitalize.”
The Penguins faced a five-on-three penalty kill midway through the third, and Nikishin extended the Hurricanes’ lead with a one-timer.
“We were on our heels,” Muse admitted. “We strayed from what worked in the second period.”
With time winding down, the Penguins pulled Skinner for an extra attacker. Rust set up Acciari, who redirected the puck past Anderson. Rust then tied the game with 35 seconds left, scoring off a rebound from Erik Karlsson’s point shot.
“We don’t give up,” Rust said. “It says a lot about the guys here.”
With Crosby and Malkin absent, the team’s collective effort is crucial. Rust and Karlsson have stepped up, each tallying nine points in the last seven games.
In overtime, the Penguins had a 4-on-3 power play but couldn’t convert. As the penalty expired, Carolina had an odd-man rush, but Mantha’s sliding play blocked the cross-ice pass.
“The power play in overtime and the shootout were chances we didn’t take,” Rust commented.
In the shootout, Ben Kindel scored for Pittsburgh, but Andre Svechnikov and Jackson Blake secured the win for Carolina.
“We scored in the shootout, which was huge,” Skinner said. “I just needed one more save to keep it going.”
The Penguins continue their road trip, taking a day off before facing the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday.
“Tying the game late was tough,” Skinner reflected. “Huge credit to the guys.
It was a division game and a big point for us. This group should be proud.”