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Penguins gained more than just a win against the Hurricanes, says NHL analyst
The Penguins did not just walk away with a victory vs. the Hurricanes, but they also obtained a template for success they can now follow, per Dave Molinari.
Anthony Mantha scored twice as the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 5-1 on Tuesday night.
Mantha, who has scored in three straight games, opened the scoring with a power-play goal in the first period and added another in the second as Pittsburgh built a 5-0 lead. Justin Brazeau set a career high with his 12th goal and also had an assist.
Tommy Novak had a goal and an assist, and Sidney Crosby scored his 21st of the season.
Erik Karlsson recorded two assists, passing Brad Park for the 14th-most points by a defenseman in NHL history. Bryan Rust added two assists as the Penguins won three of four following an eight-game losing streak.
What the Penguins walked away with from last night's game
NHL analyst Dave Molinari noted the Penguins didn't just leave with a victory; they gained a template for success they can now follow under head coach Dan Muse.
"The Penguins didn't just get two points out of their 5-1 win against Carolina Tuesday. They got a template for success that can be followed for the rest of the season."
- Dave Molinari
- Dave Molinari
Stuart Skinner made 27 saves, improving to 1-3 since being acquired from Edmonton on Dec. 12 in the trade that sent Tristan Jarry to the Oilers.
Mark Jankowski scored for Carolina, and Frederik Andersen stopped 23 shots, extending his winless streak to eight starts since Nov. 6.
Crosby and the Penguins capitalized on a turnover behind the net 3:46 into the first period. Brazeau and Mantha made it 3-0 with goals 1:05 apart later in the period. Brett Kulak recorded his 100th NHL assist, setting up Brazeau's breakaway goal.
Novak and Mantha added goals in the final five minutes of the second, with Noel Acciari screening Andersen on Novak's shot and Brazeau assisting Mantha's second.
Why the Penguins had a slight advantage last night
Carolina played without top defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, who missed Monday's game with a lower-body injury.
The Penguins host the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday, where we will find out if they take full advantage of the new template they have walked away with.
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 31 | 130 ANSWERS Penguins gained more than just a win against the Hurricanes, says NHL analyst Will the Penguins finally start climbing up the standings from here on out? | ||
| Yes | 106 | 81.5 % |
| No | 24 | 18.5 % |
| List of polls | ||