Ville Koivunen absolutely ripped one home in overtime to seal a wild 3-2 comeback win for the Pittsburgh Penguins against the Nashville Predators Saturday night. What a turn of events, especially after the Preds thought they had this thing locked down, only to see it slip away in dramatic fashion as Koivunen beat Juuse Saros from the top of the left circle at 3:44 of the extra period.
Crosby’s Milestone and the Unstoppable Penguins Roll
This wasn’t just any win for Pittsburgh, it was a statement. Rickard Rakell knotted things up with just 1:06 left in regulation, taking a cross-ice pass from none other than Sidney Crosby. And get this: that assist? That was Crosby’s 1,111th career helper, putting him shoulder-to-shoulder with Hall of Fame defenseman Ray Bourque for the most assists with a single franchise. Talk about cementing a legacy! Connor Dewar also chipped in with a goal for the Penguins, while Arturs Silovs stood tall, stopping 24 shots to keep them in it. This team just finds ways to get points, having done it in 10 straight games and an absurd 23 of their last 27 against Nashville stretching back to 2010. They’ve now strung together two wins, shaking off a four-game losing streak, and they did it all without Evgeni Malkin, who’s battling an illness, and Egor Chinakhov, who’s missed four of the last five with a lower body injury. That’s a resilient squad right there.
Predators Can’t Catch a Break, Even When They Almost Do
For Nashville, it’s a completely different story. Steven Stamkos and Jayden Struble got on the board, with Stamkos now just two goals shy of passing Dino Ciccarelli for 19th place in NHL history. And while Juuse Saros was a busy man, making 34 saves, it just wasn’t enough to hold the line. The Predators are reeling right now, having lost two in a row and five of their last six, including getting absolutely shut out 6-0 at Boston just a couple of nights before. Struble had given them the 2-1 lead at 6:40 of the second period, beating Silovs from the right faceoff dot. The real gut punch? Jack Drury nearly made it 3-1 at the end of the second. He dove at a loose puck, pushed it across the line, but time expired just before it counted. If that goal stands, maybe Rakell and Koivunen don’t get the chance to play heroes. That’s the kind of tiny margin that can absolutely crush a team’s spirit when things are already going sideways.
Up next, the Predators need to find a way to stop the bleeding when they host the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday. The Penguins, riding high on this rally, will host the Utah Mammoth on Thursday, looking to build on this insane momentum and keep climbing.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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