It had the feel of a playoff game and with a struggling Penguins team going into Toronto to take on a Maple Leafs team that’s been on fire, it makes sense that they’d throw the game plan and goaltending out the window. The Penguins took the Leafs down in a shootout 6-5 and it would be Alex Kovalev dialing back the clock and leading the charge for Pittsburgh scoring once in regulation and then deciding the game in the shootout with his goal on James Reimer there.
For Pittsburgh, it was a win they so desperately needed to turn things around. Making matters a bit easier for them was the return of forward Mark Letestu. Letestu made his presence felt scoring a goal in the second period and assisted on Mike Rupp’s goal in the third that tied the game at 5-5. Toronto got some offensive help from the Leafs biggest fan of Twitter Joffrey Lupul who had two goals. He had a third goal called off early in the game as it was ruled he kicked it in. Dion Phaneuf also had a goal and an assist.
Goalies James Reimer and Marc-Andre Fleury came into this game playing some outstanding hockey and being the main reason why their teams have held strong in the last month. Tonight wouldn’t be so hot for either as Reimer made 35 saves while Fleury stopped 26 shots in the win. Fleury didn’t allow a goal in the shootout while Reimer’s only slip up came when Kovalev scored on his attempt, the only goal in the shootout.
For Toronto, the loss is a bit painful as they could’ve made up ground on Carolina and Buffalo in the race for the playoffs as both teams lost tonight. Buffalo was able to earn a point in the standings by going to a shootout with Detroit. As it stands, the Leafs are five points behind Carolina for eighth in the East. The Penguins, meanwhile, were able to get off the schneid in an emphatic way breaking out and scoring five goals. The Pens have been offensively starved of late and getting them to break out tonight could help them snap out of it.