Sidney Crosby scored a pair of goals as the Pittsburgh Penguinsa ended a goal scoring drought to defeat the Detroit Red Wings 3-2 on Wednesday in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup finals.
Marian Hossa had two assists and goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury made 32 saves for the Penguins, who trail 1-2 in the best-of-seven series. Adam Hall scored what proved to be the winner.
“We have been guilty of being too passive, but tonight we brought intensity and that is what it takes to win,” Pittsburgh forward Ryan Whitney said.
PHOTO: AFP
Johan Franzen and Mikael Samuelsson scored for Detroit, who had shutout Pittsburgh in each of the first two games of the finals.
The Penguins, who improved to 9-0 at home in the playoffs, host Game 4 tomorrow.
“We believe in each other and we were able to turn things around,” said the Penguins’ Ryan Malone, who has six goals and 16 points in the playoffs.
Crosby’s first goal of the game set the tone and snapped a playoff goal-scoring drought for Pittsburgh.
Crosby capitalized on a rare turnover by Detroit to notch the first goal of the game.
“He was focused,” Whitney said of his Canadian teammate Crosby.
From the left side of the Red Wings’ net, Stuart attempted a pass to Henrik Zetterberg, who had the puck ricochet off his skate. Crosby shoveled it between the pads of goalie Chris Osgood from the front of the net with 2 minutes, 35 seconds left in the first for a 1-0 lead.
The goal ended Pittsburgh’s scoring drought at 153 minutes, 21 seconds, the longest in franchise playoff history.
The Penguins cashed in on a powerplay early in the second to take a 2-0 lead.
Crosby collected a rebound at the right side of the crease and beat Osgood at 2 minutes, 34 seconds for his second goal of the game and sixth of the playoffs. The goal gave Crosby his 10th multi-point effort in 17 playoff games.
Osgood kept the deficit at two by denying defenseman Sergei Gonchar from alone in the slot six minutes into the middle period and the Red Wings converted a powerplay opportunity of their own later in the session to pull within 2-1.
It remained a one-goal game despite a flurry of chances for Pittsburgh three-and-a-half minutes into the third.
But the Penguins would not be denied a third goal as Hall scored the winner at 7 minutes, 18 seconds.
Hall chased down the loose puck behind the net and banked it off Osgood and in for his second goal of the playoffs and a 3-1 lead. Hall scored just two goals in 46 games during the regular season.
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