Pens extend streak to eight

Associated Press

PITTSBURGH

Steve Sullivan scored the tying goal in the third period, and James Neal and Evgeni Malkin connected in the first two rounds of a shootout to lift the Pittsburgh Penguins to their eighth straight victory, 2-1 over the Florida Panthers on Friday night.

Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 28 shots and was perfect in the shootout for his 36th victory of the season, putting him one behind Nashville’s Pekka Rinne for the NHL lead.

The Penguins extended the league’s longest active winning streak by overcoming a third-period deficit for the eighth time this season, tied with Tampa Bay for the most in the league.

Thomas Fleischmann scored his 21st goal of the season for Florida, and Jose Theodore made 33 saves but the goaltender was outclassed in the shootout by Neal and Malkin, who easily beat Theodore over his glove on wrist shots.

Pittsburgh has been arguably the best team in the league since its last game against Florida, a 4-1 victory on the road Jan. 13 that snapped a six-game losing streak and propelled the Penguins to an eight-game tear.

Nearly two months later, they haven’t let up.

Pittsburgh is 20-4-1 in its last 25 games to pull within four points of the Eastern Conference-leading New York Rangers.

Coach Dan Bylsma said earlier Friday he believes the Rangers can be caught, and with the prospect of captain Sidney Crosby returning from concussion-like symptoms as early as Sunday the Penguins are brimming with confidence.

Pittsburgh had several chances to end it before the shootout, none better than Staal’s wide-open rebound that somehow flew over the net.

No matter, Malkin and Neal continued their superb work in shootouts, easily handling Theodore to prevent the goalie from picking up his 21st career victory against the Penguins.