Penguins Outlast Red Wings in Overtime

by 1660 THE FAN Wire Services

Detroit, MI (Sports Network) - Jordan Staal used a natural hat trick to
ignite a Pittsburgh rally in the third period and then set up Ruslan
Fedotenko's goal 3:49 into overtime, as the Penguins overcame a three-goal
deficit and captured a dramatic 7-6 victory over the Detroit Red Wings in a
rematch of last season's Stanley Cup Finals at Joe Louis Arena.

The Penguins trailed 5-2 in the third period, but Staal scored three goals in
the stanza, including the game-tying tally with 23 seconds remaining, to help
the Penguins to their fourth consecutive victory. Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin
and Maxime Talbot also scored for the Penguins, who will open a three-game
homestand on Thursday against Philadelphia. Marc-Andre Fleury finished with 28
saves in the win.

Jiri Hudler scored twice, while Johan Franzen, Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik
Zetterberg were among the goal scorers for Detroit, which defeated the
Penguins in six games last spring but failed to close out this one. Chris
Osgood was solid through two periods, but allowed four goals on 16 shots in
the third and ended with 27 total saves for Detroit, which saw its two-game
win streak halted but still earned at least one point for the 12th time in 14
games this season.

"You can't let things like that happen," said Detroit head coach Mike Babcock.
"You can't give up seven goals and expect to win."

Following the furious third period in which Staal and the Pens rallied from
Following the furious third period in which Staal and the Pens rallied from
deficits of 5-2 and 6-4 to tie the contest, the visitors carried the momentum
into overtime. Datsyuk took the puck from his own end and headed for the
neutral zone, but Staal stole the disc from Datsyuk's blind side and turned
the other way on a 2-on-1. From the left side, Staal fed a pass across the
high slot before Fedotenko's one-timer sailed into the back of the cage for
the 7-6 win.

A Detroit power-play tally near the five-minute mark of the third period made
it 5-2. The give-and-go play was set up by Zetterberg, who streaked over the
blue line and, from the high slot, passed to Hudler near the left half-wall.
Hudler took several strides and passed back to Zetterberg, whose redirection
at the back-side post lit the lamp at 5:03.

The visitors got back into the game during a 5-on-3 advantage. Franzen and
Valtteri Filppula were whistled for minor penalties only five seconds apart
and the deadly Penguins' power play went to work. At 6:57, Malkin fired a
wrister from the slot that Osgood never saw.

"I thought the 5-on-3 gave them some life," said Detroit's Nick Lidstrom.
"They move the puck so fast, and they were finding the open man. We didn't
play well in our end. We started chasing the puck and they were able to get
open in the slot."

Only 72 seconds later, this time skating 5-on-4, the Pens scored again to
climb within one on Staal's backhander from the top of the crease.

"It seemed like everything I touched went in," said Staal. "Everybody just
kept working hard and playing to the end. We always know there's a chance to
win if we keep working."

Hudler, however, tallied with 9:46 to go in regulation. He crossed the blue
line down the right-wing side and released a blazing slap shot from the top of
the circle. Fleury made the save, but the puck skipped behind him and trickled
over the goal line just inside the far post for a 6-4 Detroit edge.

"I thought it was going to be over when Hudler scored (to make it 6-4),"
Babcock said. "Then we self-destructed."

With over four minutes to go, Staal scored for the second time in the period
when his wrist shot from the slot -- after a long rebound was allowed by
Osgood following a shot from the right point by Kris Letang -- made its way
through traffic in the crease.

Fleury was pulled for the extra skater inside the final minute and it paid
off. Malkin held control atop the right circle and ripped a slap shot that
never made it to the net. Detroit's Lidstrom could not gain control to clear
the puck, and Staal kept poking at it until it slid under Osgood with 23
seconds remaining.

The Red Wings held a 2-1 lead after the opening 20 minutes. After Crosby's
fourth goal of the season 4:34 after the opening faceoff, a pair of Detroit
goals within a 1:58 span -- one by Darren McCarty and the other a power-play
marker by Tomas Holmstrom -- gave the hosts the one-goal lead.

Detroit moved ahead 3-1 with a power-play goal 1:09 into the second period.
Mikael Samuelsson held control along the left half-wall and centered the puck,
which deflected off the skate of Pittsburgh defenseman Brooks Orpik and
caromed onto the stick of Hudler in the low slot. Hudler then passed across
for an easy one-timer by Franzen, who lit the lamp from near the right post.

Shortly after, at the 4:14 mark, the Pens drew within 3-2. Petr Sykora held
the puck along the rear boards and slid it toward the goal mouth. Detroit's
Brad Stuart was in the crease trying to ward off Talbot, but the puck appeared
to bounce off Talbot's skate and slid over the goal line behind Osgood.


With under two minutes remaining before the second intermission, the Red Wings
regained their two-goal lead. Datsyuk wound up and ripped a one-timer after a
soft pass from Marian Hossa that beat Fleury with help from a screen in front
by Holmstrom.


Game Notes

This was Franzen's game since October 25 when he sprained his right
MCL...Staal now has five goals this season... The Red Wings finished 3-for-5
on the power play while the Pens were 1-for-5 with the extra
skater...The Pens improved to 5-2-1 on the road this season...The Wings had
won three straight homes games...Miroslav Satan posted two assists in the
win...Attendance was 20,066.