Pierre-Edouard Bellemare scored the lone Bolts goal.
Aside from the costly slow start, the main takeaway from the game was the animosity between the two teams. Things reached a boiling point following a post-whistle scrum in the final minute of the second period in which 10 minutes of roughing minors were handed out. In arguing the calls, Jon Cooper picked up a game misconduct for abuse of the officials and was ejected. All in all, the teams combined for 46 penalty minutes.
Tampa Bay won't have long to dwell on the loss, as they return to AMALIE Arena on Friday to face the Red Wings in the second half of this home back-to-back.
Scoring Summary
1st Period
PIT 1, TBL 0
3:46 Danton Heinen (12) - Evgeni Malkin, Kasperi Kapanen
Andrei Vasilevskiy made the save on Evgeni Malkin's initial shot but kicked the rebound into the slot where Danton Heinen was on hand to sweep it home.
PIT 2, TBL 0
6:27 Sidney Crosby (17) - Jake Guentzel, Evgeni Malkin - PPG
On Pittsburgh's opening power play, the Bolts left Sidney Crosby wide open on the left side of the ice and paid the price. Jake Guentzel was able to send a cross-crease pass to Crosby and he quickly fired a shot past an outstretched Vasilevskiy.
2nd Period
PIT 2, TBL 1
6:20 Pierre-Edouard Bellemare (7) - Pat Maroon
Pierre-Edouard Bellemare knocked down a Kris Letang outlet pass that was picked up by Pat Maroon just inside the blue line. Maroon found Bellemare cutting to the net with a backhand feed. In alone on Tristan Jarry, Bellemare slipped his shot through the goaltender's five-hole to get the Bolts on the board.
PIT 3, TBL 1
17:08 Brock McGinn (11) - Evan Rodrigues
From down along the goal line, Ondrej Palat tried to feed the point but was intercepted by Evan Rodrigues. He spotted Brock McGinn in the neutral zone with a step on Mikhail Sergachev and forced the puck ahead to set up a breakaway. McGinn beat Vasilevskiy to the stick side to put the Penguins back up by two.
3rd Period
PIT 4, TBL 1
5:14 Evgeni Malkin (10) - Danton Heinen
Another turnover at the offensive blue line created a Pittsburgh breakaway. This time Bellemare turned it over to Heinen, who sprung Malkin in alone on Vasilevskiy. Malkin rang his shot off the far post and in to extend the Penguins' lead to three.
PIT 5, TBL 1
14:00 Jake Guentzel (26) - Kris Letang, Sidney Crosby - ENG
The Lightning pulled Vasilevskiy early, but Guentzel quickly found the empty net to end any hope of a comeback.
