PITTSBURGH — Sidney Crosby had a function and two assists for a second straight game, serving to the Pittsburgh Penguins defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-2 at PPG Paints Arena on Saturday.
The 35-year-old heart has six issues (two targets, 4 assists) in the primary two video games of his 18th NHL season. Crosby additionally had a function and two assists in a 6-2 season-opening win against the Arizona Coyotes at house on Thursday.
“You want to keep that going,” Crosby stated. “It might not last. You want to keep riding that momentum if you can. If you want to win consistently, you need everyone to contribute. There’s no secret to that. We’ve been able to do that here the first couple games.”
Video: TBL@PIT: Crosby buries Guentzel’s dish on rush
Jake Guentzel and Jeff Carter each and every had a function and an lend a hand, and Tristan Jarry made 34 saves for the Penguins (2-0-0).
Steven Stamkos scored for the fourth time in 3 video games and had an lend a hand, Nikita Kucherov had two assists, and Brian Elliott made 39 saves in his first get started of the season for the Lightning (1-2-0), who received 5-2 on the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday.
“Every single year, we’re a different team,” Tampa Bay trainer Jon Cooper stated. “We have to find ourselves a bit. But the big thing is, and it comes right down to it, if we’re not going to manage the puck and we’re going to turn it over, especially with teams like this, it’ll be a long night for you.
“We’ve long gone via some ebbs and flows in years. This is a tricky technique to get started this yr, unquestionably.”
Stamkos put the Lightning ahead 1-0 at 4:10 of the first period on a power play, firing a one-timer off a pass from Victor Hedman from just above the left face-off circle.
Video: TBL@PIT: Stamkos rifles pass home for power-play goal
The Lightning had four shots on goal in 24:38 following Stamkos’ goal.
Crosby tied it 1-1 at 17:00. Guentzel drove through the neutral zone on a 2-on-1 before sending a pass in front of a sliding Erik Cernak, allowing Crosby to go forehand to backhand around Elliott.
Danton Heinen gave the Penguins a 2-1 lead with a power-play goal from a sharp angle at 4:11 of the second period.
“I believe we had a gorgeous excellent get started, as soon as once more,” Hedman said. “They were given that power-play function to make it 2-1, then it used to be an uphill combat. [Elliott] saved us in the game, gave us an opportunity to win. But all of it comes right down to execution, that is the base line. We’ll regroup right here, return house and get in a position for our house opener [against the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday].”
Guentzel tipped a shot from Kris Letang to make it 3-1 at 2:28 of the third period, and Carter extended it to 4-1 at 3:50 on a wrist shot from the bottom of the right circle.
“I believe it is a excellent time when you are getting possibilities this early,” said Guentzel, who has a goal and an assist in each of the first two games. “You do not dangle your head an excessive amount of. For me, the chances are high that coming.”
Video: TBL@PIT: Guentzel scores after face-off win in 3rd
Bryan Rust deflected a shot from Crosby on a power play, pushing it to 5-1 at 13:31.
“They’re a proud team,” Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said. “They have an urge for food to win. I believe, to a person, the core team of gamers that has been right here, they are simply hungry to win. They’re hungry to win. There’s no different technique to say it.”
Brayden Point lower it to 5-2 at 14:03 sooner than Rickard Rakell scored an empty-net goal with 4:05 remaining for the 6-2 final.
“Started turning the puck over approach an excessive amount of,” Point said. “A staff like that, that velocity coming at you and all that talent, it is difficult to shield when you are simply giving them rushes.”
NOTES: Crosby has 1,415 (519 goals, 896 assists) in 1,110 NHL games, passing Doug Gilmour (1,414 points in 1,474 games) for sole possession of 19th place all-time. He has the most points among active players, ahead of Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin (1,411 points; 780 goals, 631 assists in 1,277 games). The Penguins captain has 423 multipoint games in his NHL career, 101 more than games without a point (322). … Stamkos’ three-game goal streak is the second longest to start a season in Lightning history. Kucherov scored in the first seven games of 2017-18. The Lightning captain moved into sole possession of second place on the team’s all-time assists list (492), behind Martin St. Louis (588). … Penguins defenseman Jan Rutta had two pictures on function and one hit in 15:09 of ice time in his first game against his former staff since signing a three-year contract July 13. The defenseman received the Stanley Cup with Tampa Bay in 2020 and 2021.