Islanders’ Third-Period Outburst Overwhelms Penguins

The Pittsburgh Penguins had virtually no margin for error before they played the New York Islanders Tuesday night at PPG Paints Arena.

They have even less after a 4-2 loss to the Islanders, who earned their victory by scoring four unanswered goals in the third period.

“We beat ourselves in so many ways in the third period,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said.

Oh, the Penguins still are on mathematical life-support, but with just a dozen games left in their season, they remain about as close to the bottom of the Eastern Conference as they are to a playoff berth.

The defeat snapped the Penguins’ four-game winning streak, which matched their longest of the season, and dropped their record to 28-32-10. They are in serious danger of finishing with a sub-.500 record for the first time since going 22-46-14 in 2005-06, Sidney Crosby’s first season as a pro.

Although the Penguins led, 2-0, at the second intermission, New York cut their lead in half just 17 seconds after play resumed.

Kyle Palmieri got a breakaway and put his shot off the right post, but the puck then caromed off Tristan Jarry’s back and dropped over the goal line.

“Not a great time to give up a goal,” Sullivan said.

That goal spoiled Jarry’s chance for his first shutout of the season and rejuvenated the Islanders, who pulled even at 5:34, as defenseman Noah Dobson lunged to swipe a rebound past Jarry.

New York’s rampage continued at 13:08, as Pierre Engvall outraced Ryan Graves to a puck in the Penguins’ end before sweeping a shot by Jarry for what proved to be the game-winner.

Bryan Rust gave the Penguins an opportunity to tie the game when he drew a holding penalty against New York defenseman Ryan Pulock at 14:43, but they were unable to convert with the extra man and Simon Holmstrom put the game out of reach by scoring into an empty net at 18:28.

It was the second time in three days that New York turned a 2-0 deficit after two periods into a 4-2 victory. The Islanders did the same thing against Florida Sunday.

Joona Koppanen, who was just recalled from the Penguins’ farm team in Wilkes-Barre, opened the scoring at 4:40 of the first period, deflecting a Vladislav Kolyachonok shot past Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin for his first goal in the NHL. Kris Letang got the second assist.

Crosby extended the Penguins’ lead to 2-0 with 13.7 seconds to go before the first intermission, when he beat Sorokin from inside the right circle for his 24th of the season.

Crosby put his shot between the legs of Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield, who was facing the New York net and had his back to Crosby. Conor Timmins and Ryan Graves picked up the assists.

Islanders coach Patrick Roy challenged that Penguins winger Rickard Rakell had interfered with Sorokin, but a video review determined there was only “incidental contact” and New York was assessed a delay-of-game minor for the failed challenge.

Despite the Penguins’ lead, New York had the better of play for much of the first, as evidenced by its 12-9 edge in shots, but the Islanders were unable to beat Jarry.

The Penguins had a man-advantage for the first 106 seconds of the second period, but failed to capitalize on it.

They got another chance with the extra man when Islanders center Bo Horvat was sent off for unsportsmanlike conduct at 4:48, but again were unable to generate a goal, even though New York entered the game with the second-worst penalty-kill in the league.

The Islanders finally got a chance with the extra man at 12:02 because Penguins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk was penalized for tripping. Jarry, though, was able to stop both shots New York got while it was up a man.

The Pittsburgh Penguins will have a scheduled day off Wednesday. They will practice Thursday at 11 a.m. at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex.