A four-goal third period and a hat-trick from Sidney Crosby lifted the Pittsburgh Penguins (31-34-12) to a 5-3 win over the Dallas Stars (50-22-4) at American Airlines Center on Saturday afternoon.
Crosby, Bryan Rust, and Blake Lizotte scored for the Penguins. Tristan Jarry made 21 saves.
Evgenii Dadonov scored all three goals for the Stars. Casey DeSmith made 35 saves.
Game Recap
Crosby got the afternoon started in a hurry on an early power-play goal at 4:16 of the first period. Malkin sent a perfect pass from behind the net to Crosby in the slot, who wired it past the right shoulder of DeSmith for his 29th of the season.
The Stars tied it up at 10:43, on Dadonov’s first goal of the day. For Dadonov that was his 17th goal of the season, and first in 17 games.
Dadonov struck again at 12:36 of the second, this time on the power play, after Matt Duchene threw a backhand pass from the right corner to Dadonov in front of the net, who beat Jarry with a quick shot past the netminder’s blocker.
The game was tied 20 seconds into the final frame on Crosby’s second of the night. McGroarty sent a backhand pass from the right side of the net to the left side, where Crosby shot it past DeSmith’s blocker.
Three minutes later, the hat trick was complete, as Dadonov shoveled a backhand shot under the glove of Jarry for his 19th goal of the season and second career hat trick.
Rust took advantage of an Ilya Lyubushkin turnover behind the Dallas net and tied up the game 3-3 with a backhander at the crease.
Thomas Harley and Cody Ceci collided on their way out of their own zone, and Lizotte took advantage with his 11th goal of the season at 18:17.
Crosby completed a hat trick of his own with an empty-net goal at 18:45 to seal the deal. The Penguins won 5-3.
Up Next
Both teams are back in action on Sunday. The Stars will be in Minnesota to take on the Wild. The Penguins will head to the Windy City to take on the Chicago Blackhawks.
