Penguins turn aside slumping Oilers

[February 14, 2019]  Bryan Rust and Teddy Blueger scored second-period goals Wednesday to lift the Pittsburgh Penguins over the visiting Edmonton Oilers 3-1.

Pittsburgh improved to 6-0-0 against Edmonton when star centers Sidney Crosby of the Penguins and Connor McDavid of the Oilers are in the lineups. Each had an assist.

Jared McCann added an empty-net goal for Pittsburgh, which won its second game in a row following a four-game losing skid. Penguins goaltender Matt Murray made 38 saves, including a stop of McDavid on a penalty shot.

Leon Draisaitl scored for Edmonton, which is 1-6-2 in its past nine games. Mikko Koskinen stopped 31 Pittsburgh shots.

The Penguins played without center Evgeni Malkin, who served a one-game NHL suspension for wildly swinging a high stick Monday night in Philadelphia, and defenseman Olli Maatta, who missed his first game because of a suspected shoulder injury that could have him out for a lengthy period.

Draisaitl gave the Oilers a 1-0 lead at 4:45 of the first period. He took a pass from McDavid on a two-on-one against Penguins defenseman Brian Dumoulin. Draisaitl, from below the left hash marks, sent a shot past Murray's blocker.

McDavid extended his point streak to eight games with the assist. He has two goals and 10 assists in that span.

Rust tied it at 2:30 of the second period with a short-handed goal. Penalty-kill partner Matt Cullen, behind the net, fed Rust, also behind the net, and Rust scored on a partial wraparound move.

Blueger gave Pittsburgh a 2-1 lead at 6:10 of the second with the third goal of his rookie season. Kris Letang, from behind the extended goal line, centered a pass off Koskinen's pad and out to the slot, where Blueger was ready and swept the puck past the goalie's blocker.

Penguins defenseman Jack Johnson (73) checks Edmonton Oilers right wing Jesse Puljujarvi (98) during the first period at PPG PAINTS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

At 17:25 of the second, McDavid was awarded a penalty shot. He was sprung after Crosby turned the puck over deep in Edmonton's end. Letang got his stick on McDavid after the Oilers star crossed the blue line.

On the penalty shot, McDavid swung wide left with the puck and cut across as he bore down on Murray, who made a strong glove save.

McCann sealed the outcome thanks to an empty-net goal with one minute left.

--Field Level Media

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