Defenseman Deryk Engelland recorded a goal and an assist while captain Sidney Crosby and Chris Conner also scored in regulation for the Penguins, who can sweep the season series against the Hurricanes when they meet for a fourth and final time on April 1. Jussi Jokinen collected three assists, Neal added two and Marc-Andre Fleury made 31 saves.
Nathan Gerbe recorded a goal and an assist while defenseman Andrej Sekera and Drayson Bowman also tallied for Carolina, which fell to 1-3-4 in its last eight contests and 7-8-5 at home. Peters stopped 22 shots.
The Hurricanes registered 16 shots in the opening 20 minutes and were rewarded with 1.3 seconds remaining, when Sekera lifted a backhander past Fleury. Crosby tied the game 16 seconds into the second session with a backhand shot of his own, but Gerbe restored Carolina’s advantage by shoving in a rebound on the next shift.
Conner knotted the contest 1:58 into the third, sliding a backhander between Peters’ pads. Engelland blasted a slap shot from the top of the right faceoff circle through traffic with 6:45 remaining to put the Penguins ahead, but Bowman scored on a wraparound with 2:29 left in regulation.
GAME NOTEBOOK: The Penguins announced F Pascal Dupuis is scheduled to undergo ACL surgery and could miss the remainder of the season, dealing their depleted roster another blow. … Engelland, who was playing his first contest after serving a five-game suspension, had not scored since Nov. 2. … Pittsburgh has won eight of its last nine meetings with the Hurricanes.
Pittsburgh | Carolina | |
James Neal 3 | Points | Nathan Gerbe 2 |
James Neal 1 | Goals | Nathan Gerbe 1 |
Jussi Jokinen 3 | Assists | Nathan Gerbe 1 |
N/A | Power Play Goals | N/A |
N/A | Short Handed Goals | N/A |
Marc-Andre Fleury .912 | Save Percentage | Justin Peters .846 |
Marc-Andre Fleury 31 | Saves | Justin Peters 22 |
Team | Shots | Goals | Power Play | Penalty Kill | Penalty Mins | Face Offs Won |
Pittsburgh | 26 | 4 | 0-1 | 1-1 | 2 | 26 |
Carolina | 34 | 3 | 0-1 | 1-1 | 2 | 36 |