Penguins beat Chicago, 5-4, in OT
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CHICAGO -- The Penguins began their five-game road trip with a 5-4 overtime win over the Chicago Blackhawks tonight at a packed United Center.
NHL leading scorer Evgeni Malkin netted the winner on a one-timer from the left circle at 1:36 of overtime after the Penguins had blown two, two-goal leads..
They are 4-1-1 under interim coach Dan Bylsma and, at 68 points, remain in 10th place in the Eastern Conference but moved within a point of Carolina and Buffalo, which are tied for eighth.
The Penguins played without center and captain Sidney Crosby, who missed his second game in a row because of a sore left groin and third game overall this season.
Center Jordan Staal opened the scoring for the Penguins when he lifted a rebound over the left shoulder of Chicago goaltender Cristobal Huet at 3:36 of the first period. It was Staal's 16th goal, but he had gone 13 games without one.
Winger Chris Kunitz, acquired a day earlier in a trade with Anaheim, got an assist for his first point with his new team.
Kunitz followed that with his first goal as a Penguins player. Staal put the puck off the end boards, and Kunitz grabbed it and moved up to the left edge of the crease, where he slipped it under Huet at 8:44 of the first period for a 2-0 lead.
The Blackhawks got one of those back when center Jonathan Toews ticked in a shot from the point by defenseman Cameron Barker for a power-play goal at 15:44 of the first period to make it 2-1.
Chicago had been on a 1-for-18 lull on the power play dating to four games earlier and including one earlier in the first period.
The Blackhawks tied it, 2-2, with another power-play goal by Toews at 6:37 of the second period. Skating in along the goal line to Fleury's left, Toews got off a weak shot that glanced off Penguins defenseman Rob Scuderi and past Fleury's glove.
The goal was Toews' 24th of the season, matching his total from his rookie season in 2007-08.
Toews thought he got his first career hat trick and gave Chicago a lead when he deflected in a shot from right in front at 15:09 of the second period -- bringing a flood of hardhats that were the promotional giveaway of the night -- but under review it was determined he used a high stick on the play.
Instead, the Penguins came back with two goals before the end of the second period.
Winger Miroslav Satan took advantage of a turnover in the corner by Blackhawks winger Kris Versteeg and swept a rebound past Huet at 18:24 to make it 3-2.
Forward Max Talbot restored the Penguins' two-goal lead with 58.1 seconds left when his backhand shot glanced in off Chicago's Barker.
That prompted Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville to replace Huet with Antti Niemi in goal for the start of the third period.
Toews then got his hat trick when he swept the puck past Fleury for a power-play goal at 1:55 of the third period as Chicago closed it to 4-3.
Three seconds after a Blackhawks power play expired, center Dave Bolland tied the game for them, 4-4, when he shoveled in bouncing puck at 15:15 of the third period.
The Penguins continue their road trip with a game Sunday afternoon in Dallas.
PG Blog: Postgame with the PG's Seth Rorabaugh and your comments at Empty Netters
First Published February 27, 2009 11:30 pm
