Crosby scores twice, Penguins end 6-game skid with OT win against Ducks

PITTSBURGH -- Sidney Crosby scored twice, including 2:35 into overtime, and the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Anaheim Ducks 2-1 at PPG Paints Arena to end a six-game winless streak Thursday.

Crosby drove to the net alone after Cody Glass chipped the puck away from Cutter Gauthier along the far wall, stopping just short of the crease to lift a wrist shot over Lukas Dostal.

"I had a lot of time. You don't usually get that much time,” Crosby said. “So, just tried not to rush it. Try to read the goalie. The puck was rolling a bit, so it's not too often that you get a chance to really settle it down. Tried to make the most of it and glad it went in."

Alex Nedeljkovic made 22 saves for the Penguins (4-7-1), who were outscored 26-13 in their previous six games (0-5-1) and had allowed at least four goals in each of their previous seven.

“I thought it was one of our more complete games,” Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said. “I thought we controlled territory. We played more of a north-south, straight-ahead game. ... We’re not compromising our offense by playing a more calculated game. That’s the conversation that we’re having with the group.

“We’re not going to score our way to success. We’re going to defend our way to success. That’s the message that we’re preaching to the group. I thought a lot of guys bought in tonight and played extremely well.”

Dostal made 43 saves, and Alex Killorn scored for the Ducks (4-4-2), who lost three of four on a road trip.

“Pittsburgh played a heck of a game,” Anaheim coach Greg Cronin said. “They were getting pounded by the media, and locally, for not winning and not playing defense. I thought they played an exceptional game. We were fortunate to hang in there. Obviously, ‘Dos’ was the guy that kept us in the game.”

Killorn put the Ducks ahead 1-0 at 15:50 of the first period with a one-timer in the slot off a pass from Trevor Zegras from behind the net.

Crosby, who had three assists in a 5-3 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday, nearly set up a tying goal for Rickard Rakell on a 2-on-1 at 19:01 of the second period. Rakell tipped his pass but Dostal made a pad save.

“It was a tight game,” Anaheim forward Isac Lundestrom said. “First two periods there, I thought we had a pretty good second period but it was kind of coming at us in the third period there. ... We knew it was going to be a tough fight out there.”

Crosby then tied it 1-1 at 1:47 of the third, deflecting a point shot from Matt Grzelcyk for his first goal this season at even-strength. It ended a six-game goal drought.

“We were in it to win it,” Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson said. “That was our mentality for a majority part of this game, where we wanted to win this one and we played to win. We weren't scared of losing.”

Zegras came close to putting the Ducks back in front with a wrist shot at 15:32 that trickled past Nedeljkovic before Marcus Pettersson scooped it away just before it could cross the goal line.

“I thought we played hard. We grinded,” Anaheim defenseman Brian Dumoulin said. “They put a lot of pressure on us, especially a lot of continuous O-zone. I thought we did a good job defending but they had a lot of sustained pressure on us. Thanks to [Dostal] for getting us that point.”

NOTES: Crosby’s goal in the third period was his 97th tying goal in the NHL, third among active players behind Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin (144) and Nashville Predators forward Steven Stamkos (111). ... Dostal has allowed three goals on 87 shots in his past two starts. He made 40 saves in a 3-1 win at the New York Islanders on Tuesday. ... Forward Blake Lizotte was held without a shot on goal in 5:39 of ice time in his Pittsburgh debut. He had not played this season after sustaining a concussion in a preseason game on Sept. 29. ... The Ducks were outshot 18-7 in the first period and 15-7 in the third. The Penguins had the only two shots on goal in overtime.