Not only did the Penguins get back in the win column on Thursday night with a 2-1 overtime win against Anaheim – they did it in a greatly improved defensive effort.
“That's an area we're focused on, and to get rewarded – there's been some games we've given up a lot. This wasn't one of them,” Sidney Crosby said. “Those other ones, we scored a bit more. So, it didn't come easy, but we generated a lot of good chances. Didn't give up a ton.
“(Alex Nedeljkovic) made some big saves late there when we did make some mistakes. So, we got some big plays, and defensively, we were much better.”
The captain scored both goals to give him five points in his last two games after a three-assist effort in Tuesday’s 4-3 loss to Minnesota.
That night, Crosby played on the same line as Evgeni Malkin at even strength for the first time this season. With Malkin at left wing, Crosby at center and Rickard Rakell on the right wing, they were a consistent threat throughout the course of the game. That continued this evening, with the trio set the tone for a strong first period.
The Penguins built a 12-2 edge in shots and generated 18 total in the frame. But they couldn’t find a way to bury one against 24-year-old goaltender Lukas Dostal, who’s had a terrific start to the season. He entered the game leading the entire NHL in save percentage and had given up two goals or less in each of his previous four starts.
Dostal kept his team in it, and the Ducks eventually opened the scoring with an opportunistic tally late in the first. But tonight, the Penguins didn’t unravel after giving up that goal, something that had become a trend during their 0-5-1 winless stretch.
“I think it could have happened to us,” Marcus Pettersson said. “We dominated the first period and they get a goal. I think we kind of just stuck with it, and said enough is enough.”
Coming out of the second intermission down 1-0, the Penguins found the equalizer early on another strong shift from the Two-Headed Monster line, with Crosby deflecting one past Dostal.
“We're getting good zone time, good chances,” Crosby said. “Just got to continue to work. If we work and we're close, we're going to generate chances. So, it was good to get some more looks.”
Erik Karlsson collected an assist on the play as part of a tremendous performance for the defenseman, who finished with six shots and 21 (!) total attempts.
“I think we played a puck possession game, and it's a lot easier for everybody involved,” Karlsson said. “I think our entire team, everybody felt pretty good about themselves for the most part. Even though we weren't scoring as many goals as we wanted to, and we were chasing a one-nothing deficit for the majority of it.
“But same goes for me as it goes for everybody else. When we have the puck, we're going to be the better team for the most part of the night. It doesn't only help me out, it helps everybody out and makes it a little bit easier to know what you're supposed to do out there. And just trust your instincts, and not overthink stuff.”
Nedeljkovic had said after Pittsburgh’s 4-3 loss in Vancouver that while he felt good about his game, he needed to try to find a way to make an extra save to keep the Penguins in it a little longer or to settle things down. He did exactly that late in the game, as the Penguins gave up a little more than they would have liked during the last seven minutes or so.
“It's a really good feeling, obviously,” Nedeljkovic said. “You want to be able to make the ones you're supposed to make. Maybe make an extra one or two if you can that you're kind of out on, but you find a way to make a save. That's our job at the end of the day, is just to make saves. It doesn't matter how difficult they are, we got to find a way to do it. Felt like I've been building in the right direction. It was nice to see it come together tonight.”
Nedeljkovic finished with 22 saves before the captain secured the two points with a gorgeous goal.
"I had a lot of time,” Crosby said. “You don't usually get that much time. So, I just tried not to rush it, try to read the goalie. Puck was rolling a bit. 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."
At the end of that Canadian road trip, Crosby also gave an evaluation of where his game was at – saying he was still trying to find it and that he’d find a way to get back on track. “It definitely hasn't been easy. I don't feel like my game's where it needs to be. So, it's up to me to put in the work and find it,” said Crosby, who had one goal in his first 11 games.
Crosby certainly made strides in that regard tonight with what Mike Sullivan called his most complete effort on both sides of the puck.
"I think inevitably, he's always such a determined player," Sullivan said. "When he goes through some of the ebbs and flows of a season, like all players do, he has an uncanny ability to will himself out of it. I think tonight might be an example of his ability to bring his game to another level. So, we're hoping he can build on this one.
"You look at his offensive production at this point, he has a two-goal game tonight. He's right back in the hunt. He’s over a point-a-game, whatever it is. He’s always all around the scoresheet, because he's so talented. But I just liked his overall 200-foot game on both sides of the puck. I thought he was just playing the game the right way. When he does, he inspires our group and he's in the middle of our success. That's where he was tonight.”
The Penguins are now 4-7-1 on the season. They complete their three-game homestand on Saturday versus Montreal for Pittsburgh Night.
