Bryan Rust scored the winning goal 91 seconds into overtime, helping the Pittsburgh Penguins defeat the Florida Panthers 5-4 on Tuesday.
In a game between two teams on three-game winning streaks, the Penguins held on for the win, even after giving up a 4-1 lead in the third period. Rust’s goal, his eighth of the season, helped Pittsburgh secure the extra point.
Despite being outshot 41-16, the Penguins won, with goaltender Tristan Jarry making a season-high 37 saves. Florida put pressure on Jarry throughout the game, but he stopped many high-quality chances. Jarry had been sent to the AHL in late October after struggling in his first three starts.
Pittsburgh took a 2-0 lead in the first period, despite being outshot 13-5. The Penguins scored 1:12 apart, with Owen Pickering, the youngest player on the team, getting his first NHL goal. Evgeni Malkin, the oldest player, added his 504th career goal shortly after.
Marcus Pettersson and Kris Letang also scored for Pittsburgh, and Blake Lizotte added two assists.
Florida’s Matthew Tkachuk recorded a season-high four points (two goals and two assists), surpassing 600 career points. His second goal came on a power play, tying the game 4-4 with 8:33 left in regulation.
Sam Bennett extended his goal streak to four games for Florida, while Adam Boqvist also scored for the Panthers. Both goals came in the third period before Tkachuk’s game-tying goal.
Spencer Knight started for Florida as Sergei Bobrovsky stayed home to be with his wife, who is expecting a baby. Knight made 11 saves in the loss.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Penguins activated Cody Glass from injured reserve. Glass, a 25-year-old center, had been out since Nov. 8 due to a concussion. He was acquired in a trade with the Nashville Predators in August.
