Penguins recover, defeat Panthers in OT for 4th win in row

PITTSBURGH -- Bryan Rust scored 1:31 into overtime, and the Pittsburgh Penguins recovered from blowing a three-goal lead in the third period for a 5-4 win against the Florida Panthers at PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday.

Rust carried the puck to the right face-off circle for a wrist shot on a 2-on-1 with Erik Karlsson.

“I think, for us, showing that resolve and getting these wins when, earlier in the year, we folded when we gave up the lead,” Rust said. “I think it’s definitely a step in the right direction. ... Next goal wins. Go over the boards, do your job.”

Evgeni Malkin had a goal and an assist, and Blake Lizotte had two assists for the Penguins (11-12-4), who have won four straight. Tristan Jarry made 37 saves.

“I think it’s just the mindset of the group,” Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said. “I just think we have a different feeling on the bench. If we give up a couple goals in the third period like we did, when you look at the way the game is played, we were fortunate to be up a couple of goals.

“What I liked about the group is no one got rattled. There was great conversation on the bench amongst the players.”

Matthew Tkachuk had two goals and two assists to pass 600 NHL points for the Panthers (15-9-2), who had won three in a row. Spencer Knight made 11 saves.

“It was all right. I think that’s how we felt about it,” Florida coach Paul Maurice said. “I don’t think we gave up a tremendous amount. I don’t think we took advantage of some things that we normally do. I’m not 100 percent sure how I feel about that one.”

The Panthers scored three straight goals after Marcus Pettersson pushed the Penguins’ lead to 4-1 at 3:45 of the third period by driving to the net off a pass from Sidney Crosby for a wrist shot.

Sam Bennett secured a bouncing puck in the slot for a wrist shot that cut it to 4-2 at 6:55 before Adam Boqvist pulled the Panthers to within 4-3 at 8:58 with another wrist shot from the left circle.

“We just know when we go out there that we can wear teams down,” Adam Boqvist said. “I think we almost showed that tonight with the third period. Just move on from this.”

Tkachuk tied it 4-4 on a power play at 11:27, tipping a point shot from Aaron Ekblad. He has 602 points (225 goals, 377 assists) in 611 games.

“I guess it’s a point that we’re happy to get,” Tkachuk said. “But when we fight back, you just really want to get that win.”

Owen Pickering put Pittsburgh ahead 1-0 at 9:20 of the first period with his first NHL goal, a wrist shot from the point past a screen from Michael Bunting. The 20-year-old was selected in the first round (No. 21) of the 2022 NHL Draft.

Malkin made it 2-0 at 10:32 on a wrist shot from the slot off a no-look backhand pass from Philip Tomasino.

The goals came just after Jesper Boqvist appeared to give the Panthers a lead at 8:26 but it was overturned after Anton Lundell was ruled offside on a Penguins challenge.

Tkachuk cut it to 2-1 at 17:24 with a wrist shot to end a six-game goal drought.

Kris Letang extended the lead to 3-1 at 6:54 of the second period with a one-timer through traffic from a sharp angle.

“Obviously, you want those points against a good team like this,” Letang said. “Was it our best game? No, it wasn’t. But you have to give us credit. Even when they tied it, we kept playing and we got a big extra point out there.”

NOTES: Tkachuk had three points (one goal, two assists) in the third period. Only two players in Panthers history have had more in one period: Noel Acciari (four points; three goals, one assist in the second period on Dec. 20, 2019) and Olli Jokinen (four points; two goals, two assists in the third period on March 17, 2007). ... Crosby's assist on Pettersson's goal was his 1,022nd in the NHL, one from tying Gordie Howe (1,023) for the fifth most by a player with a single franchise. ... Goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, expecting the birth of a child, did not travel with the Panthers. ... Knight became the 150th different goalie Malkin has scored against. Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin (178) and Crosby (150) are the only active players to have scored on as many goalies.