Kris Letang Leads Penguins to Overtime Win Against Islanders
Kris Letang scored the game-winning goal in overtime to lead the Penguins to a 4-3 victory over the Islanders at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Letang had two total goals on the night in a game where the Islanders controlled most of the play, but couldn’t get the job done.
The first period was mostly uneventful until the last few minutes. There was a long stretch of play without a whistle and there were three penalties called, but the play ramped up late. Brock Nelson opened the scoring after deflecting a fantastic shot-pass from Oliver Wahlstrom into the back of the net. The red-hot Islanders power play delivered again, late in the period to give them a 1-0 lead heading into the intermission. Wahlstrom now has a three-game point streak.
Mathew Barzal opened the second period with a fluky goal that deflected off of the stick of John Marino and past Tristian Jarry. Oliver Wahlstrom took a penalty shortly after the Islanders’ second goal. Semyon Varlamov lost an edge in the crease leading to a Penguins goal when Sidney Crosby scored after shooting the puck into the wide-open net. 26 seconds later the Penguins tied the game up after taking control of all of the momentum. Varlamov definitely looked shaken up following that sequence. Late in the period, a beautiful passing play involving Brock Nelson and Anthony Beauvillier set up Josh Bailey in front to help the Islanders regain the lead, putting the score at 3-2.
The Penguins tied the game at three just 18 seconds into the third period. Jared McCann was sprung on a breakaway after an Isles turnover and he fired the puck past Semyon Varlamov. A high-sticking penalty in the final 10 minutes from Jean-Gabriel Pageau put the Isles on the kill but it didn’t lead to anything. The third period had both teams trading chances but this game needed extra time. Overtime was very fast-paced and similar to the third period as both teams went back and forth on odd-man rushes, Letang’s goal was the one that ended last night’s game.
The Islanders and Penguins will face off again tonight at 5 P.M. EST from the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
