Pittsburgh, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - Sidney Crosby posted a goal and two assists to lead the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 3-2 win over the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday.
Daniel Winnik and Steve Downie both scored, while Thomas Greiss turned aside 22 shots for the Penguins, who had dropped six of seven coming into the game.
"We just have to build off of this," said Crosby. "There's some good signs we had here today, especially all of the shots we had. We just need to improve on things here down the stretch and get ready for the playoffs."
With the win and a loss from the Islanders on Saturday, the Penguins and Islanders each have 93 points on the season and are tied for the second spot in the Metropolitan Division. Pittsburgh does have a game in hand, though.
Tye McGinn and Tobias Rieder scored for the Coyotes, who had a two-game winning streak coming into the contest. Mike Smith allowed all three goals on 46 shots in the loss.
"I thought we started the game pretty well and Smith got us some good saves," said Arizona head coach Dave Tippett. "They were able to capitalize on some of our mistakes and we couldn't overcome it."
This game stayed scoreless until 4:52 of the third period when Klas Dahlbeck kept in a clear at the left point and blasted a shot on net that was tipped in by McGinn for his second of the season.
Pittsburgh, though, tied the game at 7:16 as a right circle faceoff win from Crosby saw the puck go back to Paul Martin, who blasted a shot on net that was stopped and Winnik was there to snap home the rebound for his ninth of the season.
Just over two minutes later, the Pens took the lead on the power play when Crosby brought the puck in down the left wing and backhanded the puck off the boards and back to Downie, who crushed a shot over the right pad of Smith for a 2-1 lead.
The Penguins tallied an insurance marker two minutes later with another power- play goal as Derrick Pouliot sent a sharp pass from the left circle to the right side where the puck hit off the knee of Crosby and went in.
That goal proved fortunate as the Coyotes got one back with 1:51 to play and the goaltender pulled for an extra attacker when Shane Doan's pass from the right wing to the left saw the puck shot home by Rieder.
Arizona, though, ran out of time before netting the equalizer.
Game Notes
Pittsburgh defenseman Kris Letang was taken to the hospital after crashing awkwardly into the boards after a push from Shane Doan late in the second period. Pittsburgh head coach Mike Johnston said he will be further evaluated on Sunday ... Pittsburgh hosts San Jose on Sunday ... Arizona hosts Buffalo on Monday ... Linesman Steve Barton took a stick to the face from Pittsburgh's Chris Kunitz with around four minutes left in the second period and departed from the ice ... Pittsburgh forwards Evgeni Malkin and Patric Hornqvist returned to play on Saturday. Malkin had missed six games with a lower-body injury, and Hornqvist was out for five games with an undisclosed injury.