Pittsburgh 4, Los Angeles 3
When: 7:00 PM ET, Saturday, December 15, 2018
Where: PPG PAINTS Arena, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Referees:
Jon McIsaac, Dean Morton
Linesmen:
Derek Amell, Brad Kovachik
Attendance:
18627
By Field Level Media
Phil Kessel scored a power-play goal on a one-timer from Evgeni Malkin at 3:59 of overtime Saturday as the host Pittsburgh Penguins beat the last-place Los Angeles Kings 4-3.
Bryan Rust had a goal and an assist, and Matt Cullen and Tanner Pearson also scored for the Penguins, who won their second in a row and are 5-1-1 in their past seven games.
Jake Muzzin and Alex Iafallo each had a goal and an assist, and Matt Luff added a goal for the Kings, who are 0-3-1 in their last four games.
Penguins goaltender Matt Murray, making his first start since Nov. 17 after recovering from a lower-body injury, stopped 38 of 41 Los Angeles shots.
Jonathan Quick made 32 saves for the Kings.
Cullen scored at 6:58 of the first, the Penguins' second short-handed goal in as many games after not having one this season. Despite being covered by Luff, Cullen got off a wrist shot from the slot.
Rust, who assisted on Cullen's goal, made it seven points in eight games and gave Pittsburgh a 2-0 lead at 13:04 of the first off a feed from Sidney Crosby.
An apparent Los Angeles goal from Tyler Toffoli at 16:40 of the first was nullified when the Penguins won a successful offside challenge.
At 3:22 of the second, the Kings got a goal that stood. Muzzin scored on a back-door play off a feed from Anze Kopitar to make it 2-1.
Pearson, who was acquired from Los Angeles in a trade last month, boosted the lead to 3-1 at 8:29 of the second with a skillful goal against his former club. He wrested the puck from defenseman Drew Doughty in the right circle, moved in, avoided a poke-check attempt by Quick and roofed the puck over the goalie.
Luff got his third goal in five games, a turning shot from the slot at 10:06 of the second, to again make it a one-goal game, 3-2.
Iafallo tied it 3-3 with a power-play goal at 12:30 of the third. His one-timer from the right circle got under Murray's pads.
--Field Level Media
Top Game Performances
Los Angeles |
|
Pittsburgh |
Alex Iafallo 2 |
Points |
Bryan Rust 2 |
Alex Iafallo 1 |
Goals |
Bryan Rust 1 |
Alex Iafallo 1 |
Assists |
Bryan Rust 1 |
Alex Iafallo 1 |
Power Play Goals |
Phil Kessel 1 |
N/A |
Short Handed Goals |
Matt Cullen 1 |
Jonathan Quick .889 |
Save Percentage |
Matt Murray .927 |
Jonathan Quick 32 |
Saves |
Matt Murray 38 |
Team Stats Summary
Team |
Shots |
Goals |
Power Play |
Penalty Kill |
Penalty Mins |
Face Offs Won |
Los Angeles
|
41 |
3 |
1-3 |
2-3 |
6 |
28 |
Pittsburgh
|
36 |
4 |
1-3 |
2-3 |
6 |
27 |
Upcoming Games
-
Pittsburgh will play their next game at home against Anaheim. The Penguins have a W/L % of .429 after a win and .500 after a loss.
-
Los Angeles will play their next game at home against Winnipeg. The Kings have a W/L % of .182 after a win and .391 after a loss.