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The return of rookie leading scorer Connor
Bedard couldn't propel the Blackhawks, who lost their
season-worst eighth straight game.
Chicago has been outscored 26-9 during the skid.
Crosby put the Blackhawks at a deficit by scoring just 15
seconds into the game. After winning the opening faceoff from
Bedard, Crosby darted down the ice and redirected a Pettersson
shot past Chicago goalie Arvid Soderblom.
The goal marked the ninth time Crosby has scored within the
first 30 seconds of a game in his career, surpassing Bob Gainey
for the most in league history.
It was also Crosby's 406th career even-strength goal ... giving
him one more than Mario Lemieux to become the franchise's career
leader.
Reilly Smith gave the Penguins a 2-0 lead just more than 12
minutes later. Drew O'Connor broke up a Chicago pass, skated
down the left side and dropped the puck for Smith, who guided a
backhand over Soderblom.
Crosby nearly extended the Pittsburgh advantage to three goals
midway through the second period, but his quick-release backhand
hit the far post.
Chicago's Philipp Kurashev scored soon after. After the
Blackhawks stifled a Penguins clearing attempt, Bedard skated
through the middle and found a waiting Kurashev.
Bedard, the top pick in the 2023 NHL Draft and Chicago's leading
scorer, returned a touch ahead of schedule after missing the
past 14 games with a fractured jaw he suffered during a Jan. 5
loss in New Jersey.
Pittsburgh went up 3-1 at 5:51 of the third. Rakell gathered a
Pettersson rebound and passed to Crosby at the side of the net,
who then tallied his 30th goal of the season.
Crosby's 30-goal season is his 12th, tied for the 11th most in
NHL history.
Bryan Rust provided the final margin in the final minute with a
short-handed, empty-net goal.
Nedeljkovic stopped 27 shots, while Soderblom stopped 23.
The Blackhawks went 0-for-2 on the power play compared to
0-for-1 for the Penguins.
Pittsburgh was without forward Jake Guentzel, who is expected to
miss the next four weeks with an upper-body injury he sustained
during the third period of Wednesday's home loss to the Florida
Panthers.
--Field Level Media
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