Pens beat the Predators 4-1; Letang scores 4th goal of the season!

NEAL GETS FIRST
For those of us watching from the media level, it looked like Evgeni Malkin had broken his 11-game goalless streak during a first-period power play.

Malkin was stationed at the center point with Crosby working the wall to his right. He passed over to Malkin, who decided to wind up and take the shot. As the play happened, it looked like the puck flew directly into the back of the net. But after watching the replay, Malkin’s linemate Neal – standing at the top of the crease with Chris Kunitz – actually tipped it past Mazanec. The goal was Neal’s first of the season, scored in his third game back from a lower-body injury suffered in the opener. And it was a big one, as it gave the Pens a 2-1 lead going into the first intermission.

Neal nearly added another early in the second period when when Malkin slid a pass to the front of the net right to a wide-open Neal, who looked like he had a sure goal with Mazanec down. But somehow the netminder managed to glove his shot while falling forward.

“’Geno’ made a great play on the power play, just shooting for my stick,” Neal said. “Ever since I’ve got back, I feel pretty good. Geno had some great chances tonight and made some great passes. The one the goalie robbed me on, I thought it was a goal but had some good looks.”

Though Neal was robbed of a second, he’ll certainly take the assist he earned on Pittsburgh’s third goal of the game, scored by Letang shortly after. Neal cycled it behind the net to Malkin, who found a pinching Letang at the side of the cage. He squeaked a bad-angle shot through Mazanec.

Malkin may not have put a tally in the goal column, but he added a couple of marks in the assist column after setting up Neal and Letang’s goals. That extended his streak to six games, which is tied for the second longest in the NHL this season after St. Louis’ Kevin Shattenkirk (7 games). Malkin has eight helpers total in that span. >> Continue Reading <<

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Letang’s 2nd period goal