PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – It was a home opener that had about everything, honoring the three legends playing their 20th year together and a promising rookie scoring his first goal. An entertaining game that ends in a Pens win, 4-3 over the Islanders as the Pens are 2-0.
“There is a blend there in terms of us having some guys who have been playing at a high, high level for so long, especially the three that have played together," said Pens head coach Dan Muse. "Then the young guys that are coming up. We didn’t know coming into training camp exactly how this roster was going to play out. We let that happen on its own. It’s good to see how that is starting to come together.”
How it happened
Evgeni Malkin scored the first as he cleaned up in front with a backhander on the power play. It was his third point in the first 63 minutes of the season and first goal. He wasn’t done.
Islanders took a 2-1 lead on a shaky goal allowed by Tristan Jarry on a Johnathan Drouin shot and then a well-place shot by Kyle Palmieri. It’s his 15th goal and 30th point in 42 games in his career against the Pens.
Filip Hallander centered 19-year-old Harrison Brunicke who buried a shot between the glove and pad of Ilya Sorokin to tie the game. It was Hallander’s first NHL assist and Brunicke’s first NHL goal.
“A lot of emotions, you kind of get that backout feeling,” Brunicke said. “You are not really sure what is going on. It feels really good to see that one go in. I’m just building that confidence, each and every game. There are still things I want to improve on whether it’s defensively or transitioning pucks. I think it’s just going to get better.”
Three minutes later on a 4-on-3, Sidney Crosby parked in front of the net and able to hold his spot until Malkin centered a pass that Crosby tapped into the net for a 3-2 lead in the second.
After the Isles tied it late in the second, NHL leading scorer Justin Brazeau took a breakaway pass from Malkin in the third, kicked it ahead to his stick and went forehand and then backhand for the winner.
“He’s an incredible player, I knew that I kind of keep going and he’s going to find you somehow,” Brazeau said. “He made a great play to put it in behind and lead me in, it was a great play by him.”
Brazeau’s third goal of the year. After the game, Pens head coach Dan Muse joked he anticipated Brazeau would have a pair of goals Thursday, like he did Tuesday.
9th place
With his assist on the Malkin goal, Crosby tied Steve Yzerman for 9th place on the NHL all-time assist list with 1,063. Adam Oates is 8th with 1,079.
30th place
The assist on Crosby’s goal gave Malkin his 1,350th point, passing Mats Sundin for 30th place on the NHL all-time list. He is two points from Guy Lafleur and three from Brendan Shanahan.
Notes
· Jarry stopped 34 shots in his first start for his first win
“This is a new year,” Muse said about Jarry “This is a clean slate for a lot of guys. I thought he played great.”
· Malkin led the Pens with 5 shots
· Crosby and Rickard Rakell tied for the team lead with 2 blocked shots each
· Kris Letang led the Pens with 4 hits