Pascal Dupuis netted the game-winning goal
midway through the third period, as the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the
Anaheim Ducks, 4-3, at Honda Center.
Alex Goligoski, Michael Rupp and Kris Letang also scored for the Penguins, who
have won three of their last four games. Pittsburgh also improved its 2009-10
road record to a perfect 7-0-0. Marc-Andre Fleury made 26 saves in the win.
Corey Perry scored twice for the struggling Ducks, who are now 1-5-1 in their
last seven games overall. Saku Koivu also lit the lamp in the loss.
Anaheim goaltender Jonas Hiller allowed four goals on 27 shots. Jean-Sebastien
Giguere remains day-to-day with a nagging groin injury.
The third period began with the score tied 2-2, but the teams combined for
three goals in a wild span of 1:18.
First, the Pens moved ahead 3-2 at the 7:55 mark via Goligoski's sixth goal. A
great effort by Tyler Kennedy, who while diving poked the puck back into the
high slot, set up an opportunity for a one-timer from the high center slot and
Goligoski got every ounce of it.
But only 19 seconds later, the Ducks tied it up when Koivu's stuffer from the
right post found its way through the pads of Fleury.
Pittsburgh, though, refused to be outdone. Less than a minute after Koivu's
tally, the Pens regained the lead for good. With heavy traffic in front,
Dupuis wound up from the centerpoint and blasted a slap shot that beat Hiller
with 10:47 to play in regulation.
This marked Pittsburgh's first win in Anaheim since December 10, 1997.
Perry's blast from the slot 3:57 after the opening faceoff -- with an assist
from Scott Niedermayer -- was the lone tally of the first period.
The Penguins knotted the contest at 1-1 in the early stages of the second
stanza. Moments after a rebound attempt by Goligoski, who missed a wide open
net, the puck caromed onto the stick of Rupp, who held control inside the left
circle. Rupp's wrist shot hit Hiller's blocker, but made its way behind him
and trickled over the goal line at 2:39.
Midway through the second, the Pens moved ahead on Letang's first goal of the
season. However, with 3:59 remaining before the second intermission, the hosts
again tied the score. Ryan Getzlaf fired a wrister from the left circle that
was saved by Fleury, but the rebound sat in the crease and Perry punched it
home from in close.
Game Notes
Pittsburgh is now three wins shy of tying the all-time NHL mark for
consecutive road wins to start a campaign. The 2006-07 Buffalo Sabres hold the
record with 10...The Pens were 0-for-6 on the power play, while the Ducks
failed to score on both of their chances with the extra skater.
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