PITTSBURGH – It was the third matchup between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Carolina Hurricanes, and all three of them ended with one goal differentials.
Two of the games needed an overtime period, and in both of those occasions it was the Penguins that looked like the sloppier team.
The game leading up to the overtime ending was yet another close battle, with both teams trading blows and plenty of special teams play.
Between the Penguins and Hurricanes, there were 20 penalty minutes with 16 of them coming in the second period alone.
The Penguins did manage to capitalize on their first power play opportunity late in the opening period to open the scoring.
Sidney Crosby down extended the Penguins streak of power play goals to 10 consecutive games.
The streak is now tied for the NHL’s longest in the 2022-23 season and the longest the Penguins organization has seen since a 12-game run in February of 2013.
Just 32 seconds later, the Hurricanes wouldn’t just answer back, but they would take the lead with a pair of tallies.
The 2-1 Hurricanes lead held until deep in the second period when Brock McGinn scored short handed for his 10.th goal of the year.
Bryan Rust put the Penguins up by one with a beautiful individual effort in the third period; for a bit, it seemed like that would be the game winning goal.
That was until former Penguins forward Jordan Staal scored to tie the game at three.
The overtime period was quick and painful for the Penguins; Evgeni Malkin chased Jaccob Slavin behind his own net, giving the Hurricanes an automatic 3-on-2 opportunity.
Slavin and the Hurricanes didn’t miss as the first shot of the overtime period beat Tristan Jarry just 23 seconds in.
The Penguins head into the Christmas break 19-9-5 for 43 points and third in the Metropolitan Division.
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