Crosby Hat Trick! Penguins Overcome Mistakes, Overwhelm Stars

DALLAS — The Pittsburgh Penguins (31-34-12) were the better team for most of Saturday afternoon. Sidney Crosby netted a hat trick, his third being the empty netter with 1:15 remaining in the game, and the Penguins surged past their mistakes and the Dallas Stars (50-22-4).

The Penguins scored four third-period goals for a 5-3 win over Dallas at American Airlines Center. Crosby had four points, including a third period assist. Crosby’s three goals also gave him 30 this season.

For the second consecutive game, the Penguins scored multiple third period goals to erase a deficit against a playoff team. The Penguins held Dallas to 23 shots, while they had 40 on goal and 76 shot attempts.

The Penguins ended Dallas’s seven-game winning streak and 10-game unbeaten.

Instead of undoing their effort with more mistakes, the Penguins buckled down in the third period. Blake Lizotte scored the winner when he took advantage of two colliding Dallas Stars defenders and snapped a longer wrist shot past former Penguins goalie Casey DeSmith.

Penguins rookie Rutger McGroarty set up Crosby for his second goal of the game with a deft little pass near the net just 20 seconds into the third period. Crosby (29) slammed the shot into the net to tie the game 2-2.

However, Evgenii Dadonov (19) completed the hat trick at 3:11 of the third period when he shed Philip Tomasino’s coverage and was alone near the net to chip a loose puck past Jarry.

The Penguins again tied the game later in the third period when Bryan Rust’s forecheck bore fruit. Crosby tapped a pass back to Rust (28) who swept around DeSmith. Rust tied his career high in goals and points (58).

The Penguins’ first period was considerably better than the first time they faced Dallas this season. On Nov. 11, Dallas scored six first-period goals en route to a 7-1 win.

While the Penguins’ defensemen attempted to give Dallas a good headstart, goaltender Tristan Jarry absorbed no fewer than several odd-man rushes, including a trio of two-on-ones.

Unfortunately for the Penguins, their mistakes were costly Saturday.

Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson chose his coverage incorrectly in the first period, and instead of staying with Evgenii Dadonov, Karlsson trapped himself between Oskar Back and Dadonov at the offensive blue line. With no one to impede him, Dadonov (17) streaked toward the Penguins’ net for a breakaway goal at 10:43.

Dadonov’s goal tied the game 1-1.

The Penguins began the scoring with a power play goal at 4:16 of the first period. Evgeni Malkin, playing his first game since March 23, slipped a pass through traffic to Crosby in the slot. Crosby (28) moved to his right, but shot against his momentum to the left post, beating DeSmith for his first goal of the game.

Malkin and Letang earned assists, marking the 49th time in their careers that the trio combined for a goal.

Dallas was the only team to score in the second period, despite some good chances for the Penguins. Evgeni Malkin couldn’t redirect a puck into a wide-open net, and rookie Ville Koivunen had a trio of chances on a second-period sequence (and then drew a penalty).

Of course, the Penguins helped Dallas get the second goal. First, defenseman Kris Letang took his second minor penalty of the game (he took the first on the first shift of the game) when he let Roope Hintz behind him for what would have been a breakaway until Letang held on.

The Penguins’ penalty kill suffered an obvious breakdown when defenseman Matt Grzelcyk didn’t stop the puck in the corner. Dallas forward Matt Duchene backhanded a pass across the crease to Dadonov, whom Blake Lizotte had pulled up short on covering.

Dadonov (18) scored his second of the game easily at 12:36 of the second period.

Penguins Notes

Evgeni Malkin returned to the lineup. The Penguins returned Joona Koppanen, who was an emergency recall, to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

Malkin centered the second line with Rickard Rakell on the left and Ville Koivunen on the right.

Kevin Hayes played just 4:50 in the first two period. In fact, the Penguins third line with Connor Dewar and Philip Tomasino played sparingly. Dewar played the most of the trio in the first two periods (6:50).

Rust’s third period goal his 200th career goal.

Penguins Lines

Rutger McGroaty-Sidney Crosby-Bryan Rust

Rickard Rakell-Evgeni Malkin-Ville Koivunen

Connor Dewar-Kevin Hayes-Philip Tomasino

Danton Heinen-Blake Lizotte-Noel Acciari

Defense

Matt Grzelcyk-Kris Letang

Conor Timmins-Erik Karlsson

Ryan Graves-Ryan Shea