Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Vanek scores twice, but Crosby and Pens beat Isles 4-3

Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin

Pittsburgh Penguins’ Sidney Crosby (87) celebrates his third-period goal with Evgeni Malkin (71) during an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh Monday, Nov. 18, 2013. The Penguins won 3-1. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

AP

All the stars were out between the Islanders and Penguins, but it was Sidney Crosby who wound up with the game-winner as the Pens came away with a 4-3 win.

Pittsburgh jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the first period thanks to two power-play goals from Chris Kunitz. Vanek cut the Pens lead to 2-1 early in the second, but Evgeni Malkin scored his first goal in 15 games to give the Pens a 3-1 lead.

Things got ugly for the Penguins, however, as turnovers led to goals from Colin McDonald and Vanek’s second that tied it at 3-3.

Late in the third, Sidney Crosby would crush the Isles dreams of coming away with a comeback win in Pittsburgh when he scored his 12th goal of the season with 1:26 left in the game.

On the upside for the Islanders, Vanek’s return was clearly a good thing. He was playing for the first time since missing five games with an upper-body injury. The lesson learned here though is that if you let the Penguins’ best players score goals, you’re probably not going to fare well.

Follow @JoeYerdonPHT