NEW YORK: The Pittsburgh Penguins have plenty of familiar names up and down their roster. Now they are excelling even with some prominent players on the shelf.
Sidney Crosby didn’t score any goals against the New York Rangers yeserday - not in regulation, overtime or the shootout - but he assisted on two and helped the Penguins bounce back from a blown late lead and earn a 4-3 victory.
Brandon Sutter was the star this time as the Penguins played without injured center Evgeni Malkin and a slew of hurt or suspended defensemen. Sutter scored one of Pittsburgh’s two third-period goals that gave the Penguins a 3-1 lead, and then netted the only tally in the five-round shootout.
“ If everybody got healthy tomorrow, you’d talk about a significant group of guys getting back in the lineup,” Penguins coach Dan Bylsma said. “ I don’t think how we play - expectations, style of play, game plan - really changes much by getting one or two players back or getting everybody back.”
The Penguins will be without Malkin again on Thursday when they host Minnesota, but suspended forward James Neal is expected to return after serving a five-game ban.
Still, Pittsburgh has been relying on fill-ins and hasn’t missed a beat. The Eastern Conference-leading Penguins have won five straight and are 10-1-1 in their last 12.
Agencies
