Led by veterans, Pens back in Stanley Cup playoffs

PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – For 16 years it was just a constant of Spring, now it’s returned. With a 5-2 win at New Jersey Thursday night the Penguins are back in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

It was May 15, 2022 that the Pens played their last playoff game, 4-3 overtime loss at Madison Square Garden. With the Flyers loss at Detroit, the Pens also clinched second place in the Metropolitan Division.

Scoring

The Pens were being outplayed, the shots were 6-0 New Jersey and on the first push Kris Letang found Egor Chinahkov, instead of shooting in the left slot, passed it back right side to Bryan Rust. In one motion, Rust timed the pass with a shot into an open net and somehow the Pens were in the lead.

Paul Cotter breakaway backhand wraparound past Skinner, halfway through the game it was tied.

Pens answered about two minutes later Erik Karlsson from the blue line to Evgeni Malkin who dropped it for Tommy Novak who one-timed it for his first in 13 games, 2-1 Pens. It’s Karlsson’s 51^st assist and 42 for Malkin.

9 seconds later on the ensuing faceoff, Egor Chinakhov gets behind the defense, Ryan Shea floats one deep and Egor grabbed a rolling puck on his backhand and past Devils goalie Jake Allen to make it 3-1. Chinahkov with (8) points in his last five games and 18^th goal with the Pens in just 41 games, 21 goals overall. It’s Shea’s 26^th assist and Crosby got his 44^th off the faceoff win.

Jack Hughes 26^th made is 3-2 heading into the third.

Stuart Skinner made his best save five minutes into the third as Jonas Siegenthaler was allowed to go straight down the alley and Skinner stopped them. Returning after missing Sunday following taking a puck in the eye, Skinner had 19 saves.

Shea keeps a puck in the zone about two minutes later, Chinahkov pokes it out to Crosby in front, while he couldn’t finish, Malkin cleaned up and it’s 4-2. Malkin’s 19^th goal and seven points in his last three games.

Karlsson added an empty net goal, his 15^th of the season late to make it 5-2

Great duo

With the points Thursday, Crosby and Malkin became the first teammate duo in NHL history with 12, 60-plus point seasons. Wayne Gretzky and Jari Kurri/Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita had 11.

Up Next

Pens will host Washington Saturday at 3p for the final regular-season home game and possibly the final matchup between Alexander Ovechkin and Malkin.