By ,
Published May 02, 2016
Pittsburgh, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - Evgeni Malkin and Patric Hornqvist each posted two goals and an assist to lead the Pittsburgh Penguins in a 5-1 victory over the Florida Panthers on Sunday.
Paul Martin had the other goal while Sidney Crosby posted two assists for the Penguins, who have won their past two. Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 34 shots in the win.
"If we play right, we play our game, we can beat any team in the league. We showed the last two games how we can play," Malkin said.
Scottie Upshall had the only goal of the game for the Panthers, who have lost their past two. Al Montoya allowed all five goals on 26 shots in the loss.
"Fleury was the difference the first part of the game," Florida coach Gerard Gallant said.
Pittsburgh took a 1-0 lead 9:18 in as Kris Letang threw a backhand out front from the right side that first hit off the stick of a Panther and was pushed in by Hornqvist.
The score stayed that way until late in the second period when a turnover in the neutral zone was picked up by Malkin, who threw a backhand on net from the right circle that beat Montoya through the five-hole with 27 seconds left.
Pittsburgh exploded for three goals in the first half of the third to take control of the game.
The first goal came just 19 seconds in as Martin's wrister from the left circle went into the right corner of the net with traffic in front for his third of the season.
Hornqvist netted his second of the game at 3:53 on the power play when he backhanded in his own rebound off a nice feed from Crosby.
Malkin scored his 24th goal of the year at 9:06 in the third, while Upshall spoiled Fleury's shutout bid with 7:37 to play.
Game Notes
Pittsburgh plays in Washington on Wednesday ... Florida begins a home-and-home in Chicago on Tuesday ... Pittsburgh went 1-for-3 on the power play, while Florida was 0-for-3.
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/penguins-rough-up-panthers