Anders Lee scored the game-winning goal and the Islanders defeated the Penguins 4-3 Saturday night at Nassau Coliseum, snapping their five-game losing streak.

Ryan Pulock let a one-timer go from the top of the right circle on the power-play (Teddy Blueger took the delay-of-game penalty). Tristian Jarry couldn’t control the rebound and Lee was there to poke it home. Varlamov won his 236th game in his 500th appearance, making 28 saves.

The third period was hectic. There were only seven stoppages the entire period, three of which were for goals.

Jake Guentzel gave the Penguins the lead early in the third. Guentzel received the puck and fired it low on Semyon Varlamov. The Penguins didn’t lead until scoring the goal. They tied the game in the first period and then again in the second.

Things got crazy after the goal. Minutes after the tally Brian Rust had a chance to extend the lead but hit the post. A few minutes later, Scott Mayfield broke up a line rush involving Jason Zucker and Evgeni Malkin that would have been an easy tap-in. Then the Isles responded. Cal Clutterbuck banged in a pass from behind the net from Casey Cizikas just before the halfway point of the third.

The First Two Periods

The Islanders mixed up their middle six lines again, and the second line of Eberle, Dal Colle and Nelson came through. Eberle scored the opening goal of the game after taking a pass from Dal Colle and roofing a backhand over Tristian Jarry. He gave the Isles the lead again later in the period after banging in a Brock Nelson rebound.

Pierre-Oliver Joseph opened the scoring for Pittsburgh, picking top corner on Semyon Varlamov to tie the game at one. It was his first NHL goal and fifth point of the season in seven games. The Penguins acquired the 2017 first round draft selection in a June 2019 trade from the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for Phil Kessel. Evgeni Malkin had the second goal for Pittsburgh after Nelson gave the puck away at the blue line to Kasperi Kapanen, who found Malkin open in the slot.

It was Malkin’s second goal of the season. He was upset with himself after a poor performance against the Bruins on January 28th.

“I need to look at myself in the mirror and I need [more] fight in my body, I need [more] fight in myself, and help the team to win,” Malkin said after that game. “I understand that. I’m not happy with my game right now. It’s just come to the rink every day, work, and fight every shift. It’s hard to play right now. Without fans, it’s a little bit different. But we’re all in the same situation right now. I include myself too.”

Before the Malkin goal, the goalies stole the show in the second period. With the Isles holding a 2-1 lead during a four-on-four, Varlamov stoned Sidney Crosby with the right pad. On the other end of the ice, Jarry also made two excellent pad saves. First, he stopped Anders Lee who cut strongly through the crease. Then, he slid across to deny Josh Bailey’s one timer. Jarry made 22 saves in the game.

Up Next

Up next, the Isles head to Manhattan on Monday for their third meeting of the year with the Rangers. The two teams split the season-opening series with each team winning one game. Puck drop is at 7 p.m. on NBCSN. The Penguins don’t play again until next Thursday against the Islanders.

Ben Baruch

Born and raised on Long Island. Isles fan since 2009. Studying journalism at the University of Maryland, College Park.