Post-Game: Crosby scores twice in 1st period as Pens dictate play in final 40 minutes

The Pittsburgh Penguins for the second straight game starting off sluggish in the first period as Evander Kane scored just 47 seconds to give the Thrashers a 1-0 lead.

Atlanta pushed the play offensively early on and had the Penguins on the ropes through the first 10 minutes of game as the Penguins were caught running around the defensive zone.

Although this morning Dan Bylsma downplayed Sidney Crosby being the player who plays the biggest factor in Pittsburgh getting off to quick starts, calling it a team effort in so many words, it was Crosby who rescued the Penguins in the first period tonight.

Crosby twice answered Thrashers goals by scoring in the first period, netting goals 31 and 32, and extending his points streak to 25 games. Crosby would add two helpers in the third period to cap off a 4 point night (2G-2A) but it was his play in the first period that jump started the Penguins who would go on to dominate the final 40 minutes of play.

"Some credit goes to Atlanta, " Bylsma said in the Thrashers getting off to a quick stat.. "We talked before the game about speed of their team and work ethic of their team.... They certainly showed us that right off the hop. They had a number of chances that they had going at our net and got results because of it. But we didn't manage the puck well enough and we didn't get pucks behind their D the way we need to to play our game. The good part is we adjusted and....