PITTSBURGH — Thursday’s game was another roller coaster night at PPG Paints Arena. But when the ride came screeching to a halt, the paying customers unbuckled giddily.
The Penguins won a thriller against the Vegas Golden Knights by a 4-3 score.
The home team trailed by two goals after the first period and rallied back again in the final frame. Their struggling power play gave them the spark they needed. Then Kasperi Kapanen won it with his first goal since the season opener.
He hunched over and let out a scream before his teammates mobbed him.
It was quite the turnover in intensity considering how the game had started.
The Penguins, playing their first game since they learned Kris Letang had suffered a mild stroke, looked listless in the opening period as they fell behind 2-0.
Jack Eichel, the leading scorer for a Vegas team that is surprisingly atop the Pacific Division, scored at the back door to give the Golden Knights an early lead. Then the visitors added a power-play goal with two minutes left in the period.
The Penguins penalty kill was perfect in their previous eight games, killing 19 straight. But they got pulled out of position by the patient Golden Knights. Phil Kessel found Reilly Smith all alone in the right circle. Smith, one of a few original Golden Knights still in Vegas, snapped a shot over Tristan Jarry’s shoulder.
At that point, it looked like the Penguins were on their way to a third straight loss. But Brock McGinn gave them life early in the second period when he flipped the puck on goal from an acute angle. It hit a body in front and bounced in.
Moments later, the Penguins came oh-so close to making it 2-2. But Sidney Crosby whiffed on two whacks at the puck as it skipped through the blue paint behind Vegas goalie Logan Thompson. Then Jake Guentzel rang it off the post.
The top line broke through for the tying tally with 6:53 left in the second period, on Rickard Rakell’s 10th goal of the season. Crosby was relentless in puck pursuit to pry it free from Vegas defenseman Nicolas Hague. He then got it to Guentzel, who turned down a good look to slide it to Rakell for an uncontested tap-in.
The Golden Knights scored another power-play goal early in the third, when Shea Theodore’s long shot made it through a crowd and trickled behind Jarry.
But the Penguins answered with their first power-play goal since the Nov. 17 win at Minnesota. Guentzel ripped a one-timer past Thompson on a 4-on-3.
About two minutes later, PPG Paints Arena was rocking after Kapanen, who has had a rocky start to the season, buried a nice feed from McGinn down low.
Jarry stood tall down the stretch, including on the final play, to secure a win.
ICE CHIPS
— Letang is out indefinitely after suffering a stroke Monday. Coach Mike Sullivan said the defenseman took a “twirl” at their practice rink in Cranberry on Thursday morning. He hasn’t been cleared to partake in rigorous hockey activities.
— The Penguins stuck with the same defensive pairs they used in Tuesday’s loss to Carolina. Brian Dumoulin and Jeff Petry were the starting duo Thursday.
— Rust has gone six games without a goal with just two points in his last 14.
— Kapanen remained in the Penguins lineup, skating in his second straight game. Fellow forward Danton Heinen was once again a healthy scratch. In addition to his goal, Kapanen picked up an assist on McGinn’s fluky second-period goal.
— The organization during the first period recognized Kessel, who recently set the NHL’s consecutive games record as a member of the Golden Knights.
COMING UP
The Penguins are scheduled to practice Friday in Cranberry. Their five-game homestand continues Saturday when they host the St. Louis Blues here.
