Mike Smith is known for his ability to play the puck as a goaltender. On Saturday, well, that backfired.
Smith’s clearing attempt from behind his own net up the middle hit off the backside of Pittsburgh Penguins forward Brandon Sutter and in for a Pittsburgh goal. That got the Penguins on the board, after they trailed Smith and the Arizona Coyotes following the first period.
In that opening 20 minutes, the Penguins managed three shots on goal. They took over after that.
In the end, the Penguins recorded a 3-1 victory, snapping a four-game losing streak that included a pair of shutout losses.