CAROLINA 5 – PITTSBURGH 2

GOAL SCORERS
1ST PERIOD
3:54 PIT Brandon Sutter (17)
ASSISTS: Sidney Crosby (51), Ben Lovejoy (12), 1 – 0 PIT
5:05 CAR Eric Staal (20)
ASSISTS: Jordan Staal (15), 1 – 1 Tie
8:27 CAR Ryan Murphy (3)
ASSISTS: Brad Malone (7), Victor Rask (19), 2 – 1 CAR
2ND PERIOD
11:38 CAR Jay McClement (7)
ASSTISTS: Brad Malone (8), Justin Faulk (32), 3 – 1 CAR
14:56 CAR Alexander Semin (5)
ASSISTS: Riley Nash (17), Eric Staal (26), 4 – 1 CAR
3RD PERIOD
13:14 CAR PPG Andrej Nestrasil (7)
ASSISTS: Eric Staal (27), Elias Lindholm (20), 5 – 1 CAR
15:55 PIT Ian Cole (5)
ASSISTS: Craig Adams (6), Beau Bennett (8), 5 – 2 CAR
POST-GAME
The Carolina Hurricanes came into the game scoring just seven goals in their previous six games and they erupted for five goals in a 5-2 win over the Penguins.
Eric Staal had a goal, two assists and Cam Ward was strong in goal stopping 27 of 29 shots.
In a game where each team was trading chances early, the Penguins were plagued defensively with breakdown after breakdown and Alexander Semin’s goal with 5:04 left in the second period to put the Hurricanes up 4-1 was a classic example of a Penguins team that quit with an embarrassing back check from Daniel Winnik and others.
The Penguins look like a lost hockey team and have lost six of seven.
The Islanders (93 pts), Penguins (91 pts) and Capitals (90 pts) are all separated by just three points or less in the race for second place in the Metropolitan Division and home ice in the first round.
Washington beat the Devils in overtime, 3-2, and the Islanders lost at home to the Kings, 3-2.