93.7 The Fan (PITTSBURGH) - The Penguins had plenty of chances on the power play but only scored once on eight tries, in a 3-2 shootout loss to the Florida Panthers.
Jake Guentzel scored for the Penguins on a power play goal just 2 minutes into the hockey game, but the Penguins couldn't figure out the power play in the other seven opportunities.
Florida scored three minutes after Guentzel's goal, as former Penguin Evan Rodrigues scored on the power play. Florida would get another power play goal after Kris Letang got a double minor for tripping and interference. After the first of the two power plays were fought off, Sam Reinhart scored his 36th goal of the season, giving Florida a 2-1 lead.
In the final minute with Alex Nedeljkovic pulled, the Penguins threw the puck at the net and Sergei Bobrovsky was making saves. Letang took a slap shot at Bobrovsky and Sidney Crosby got the rebound and made a great pass to Malkin to the right of the net for the tying goal with 42 seconds left.
"I think it'll be big for him, I think Geno is a guy that loves to score goals, when he scores I think it helps his own confidence," said Mike Sullivan. "Nobody is harder on himself than Geno himself. He understands that we rely on him to produce offense for us and when he doesn't, nobody feels it more than he does."
In the shootout, Aleksander Barkov scored in round two to open the scoring. Guentzel had to score in round three to keep the shootout going. Bobrovsky made a glove save but the puck bounced off the glove and went into the net to even it up. Reinhart would score the game winner on a wrist shot past Nedeljkovic.
Things got chippy
There were eleven penalties in the hockey game between the Penguins and Panthers. The Penguins only committed three of them, two were on the Letang double minor. He tripped Rodrigues and then bumped Barkov into the boards where Barkov hit his head. Letang was originally called for a five minute penalty, but after the review, the ref called a double minor. Letang didn't agree with the interference.
"My skate clipped him, his foot got caught, but I did not hit him," said Letang.
After that hit, Florida committed six penalties against the Penguins. Sam Bennett had three of them after he took a double minor for a cross check and an unsportsmanlike conduct.
"They have their view. They made whatever interpretation they wanted. Obviously would have liked to score on those power plays, it might have got them off their game," Letang said.
Letang said when it comes to playing the Panthers, you have to expect this kind of game against them, with them being such a physical team.
Quick turnaround
The Pens are fortunate to getting a point in this one and don't have time to think about the loss as they're back in action Saturday against the Canadiens at 7 p.m.