Thursday, February 11, 2021 07:00 PM (ET)

Pens’ Sidney Crosby nets shootout winner to edge Isles

Field Level Media
Feb 11, 2021

Sidney Crosby scored the only goal of the shootout Thursday night for the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins, who came back from a trio of one-goal deficits to edge the New York Islanders, 4-3, in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Crosby shuffled the puck several times and got Semyon Varlamov to lean to his right before backhanding a shot into the net. Casey DeSmith stopped Josh Bailey on the Islanders' next attempt to lock up the Penguins' 83rd shootout win -- breaking a tie for the all-time lead with New York.

Evgeni Malkin scored with 18 seconds left in regulation to force overtime for the Penguins, who ended a two-game losing streak and won for the second time in six games (2-2-2). Bryan Rust and Zach Aston-Reese also scored for Pittsburgh. DeSmith made 26 saves in regulation and overtime.

Casey Cizikas, Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Mathew Barzal scored for the Islanders, who had a two-game winning streak snapped. Varlamov recorded 32 saves.

Cizikas put the Islanders ahead in highlight-worthy fashion 5:39 into the first. He stole the puck from John Marino deep in the Penguins' zone and, with Marino grabbing his midsection, managed to control the puck with one hand and shuffle between his backhand and forehand before shoveling a shot past DeSmith as he fell to the ice.

The Penguins tied the game a little more than six minutes later when Jake Guentzel dished across the crease to Rust, who stuck his stick out and poked the puck into the open corner of the net with 8:13 left.

The Islanders retook the lead on a power play goal with 3:20 remaining when Pageau, standing between DeSmith and Marino, redirected a shot by Nick Leddy.

Aston-Reese, who grew up in nearby Staten Island, tied the score again 7:02 into the second when he put back the rebound of his wraparound attempt.

Barzal gave the Islanders the lead again with 6:25 left in the third when he took a clearing pass from Anders Lee and deked Pierre-Olivier Joseph twice before firing a shot over DeSmith's glove.

DeSmith was pulled for the extra attacker with under two minutes left and the Penguins once again tied the score when Malkin's shot from behind the left faceoff circle sailed under the stick of Varlamov, who was screened by four players.

--Field Level Media

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