DATE: 7:00 PM, DECEMBER 14, 2018
COVERAGE: ESPN+
PITTSBURGH, PA 15295
ATTENDANCE: 18,549
100%
CAPACITY: 18,087
REFEREES: Marc Joannette and Brad Watson
LINESMEN: Shandor Alphonso and Brandon Gawryletz
Casey DeSmith is
not the highest-paid or most accomplished goaltender on the Penguins. Yet he's
playing like it, a development that's helped Pittsburgh keep its season from
unraveling.
The backup thrust into a starting role while two-time
Stanley Cup winner Matt Murray recovers
from a lower-body injury and shaky play stopped a career-high 48 shots as
Pittsburgh fended off a third-period Boston rally to slip by the Bruins 5-3 on
Friday night.
DeSmith improved to 7-2-1 in his last 10 starts, keeping his
cool even after the Bruins erased a two-goal deficit in the third period by
scoring twice in 54 seconds. Jake Guentzel restored
Pittsburgh's lead by tipping home Kris Letang's
point shot with 9:13 to go, and DeSmith did the rest.
The Penguins appeared to be firmly in control after Zach
Aston-Reese's short-handed goal -- Pittsburgh's first down a man in
57 games -- with 58 seconds to go in the second period made it 3-1.
Boston's Chris Wagner and David Krejci drew
the Bruins even when they beat DeSmith less than a minute apart in the third.
But the Penguins executed perfectly on a faceoff in the Boston zone, with Sidney Crosby winning
the draw and then sending the puck back to Letang. He shot it and Guentzel
extended his stick to get a piece of it. The puck slid by Jaroslav
Halak for Guentzel's 13th of the season.
Brandon Carlo scored
for the first time in 115 games for Boston and Halak stopped 24 shots but the
Bruins had trouble with DeSmith, who has filled in capably with Murray spending
most of the first two months of the season dealing with injuries or a serious
dip in form.
The team activated Murray on Wednesday but coach Mike
Sullivan has chosen to stick with DeSmith, though Murray is likely to make his
first start since Nov. 17 on Saturday night when the Kings visit. DeSmith
insists he won't change his approach now that he's engaged in a full-on
competition battle for playing time.
The Bruins dominated for long stretches thanks in part to
sloppy play by the Penguins, but DeSmith managed to keep Pittsburgh in it.
DeSmith's flashiest stop came in the first. He was sliding
to his right when Brad Marchand picked
up a bouncing puck and moved to DeSmith's left. The goaltender reached back
with his glove and plucked a shot out of midair to keep the game scoreless.
Derek Grant gave
the Penguins the lead shortly after DeSmith's save on Marchand. Phil Kessel,
playing in his 277th consecutive game with the Penguins -- the fourth-longest
streak in franchise history -- and 723rd straight overall, doubled Pittsburgh's
advantage 1:56 into the second period.
The Bruins responded by pressing Smith, who eventually
relented when Carlo fired a laser from the top of the right circle 11:53 into
the second for just the seventh goal of his career and first since March 4,
2017, against New Jersey.
Though Boston eventually pulled even, Pittsburgh still ended
up pulling away, with Aston-Reese putting in an empty-netter with six seconds
left to ice it.
GAME NOTES
Letang exited late in the third period favoring his left leg and did not return. ... If Kessel stays healthy, he could break Craig Adams' club record of 319 straight games played near the end of the regular season. ... The Bruins were 0 for 2 on the power play. The Penguins were 0 for 1.
UP NEXT
BRUINS: Welcome
the Sabres on Sunday. Boston took the first meeting 4-0 in Buffalo on Oct. 4.
PENGUINS: Host
the Los Angeles
Kings on Saturday night.
MY 3 STARS OF THE GAME
1: Casey DeSmith G – PIT, 48 Saves,
.941 SV%
2: Zach Aston-Reese C – PIT, 2 Goals,
1 Assists
3: Chris Wagner RW – BOS, 1 Goals,
1 Assists
SCORING SUMMARY
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Boston Bruins
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* - A player receives a "plus" if he is on the ice
when his Club scores an even-strength or shorthand goal. He receives a
"minus" if he is on the ice for an even-strength or shorthand goal
scored by the opposing Club. The difference in these numbers is considered the
player's plus-minus statistic.
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* - A player receives a "plus" if he is on the ice
when his Club scores an even-strength or shorthand goal. He receives a
"minus" if he is on the ice for an even-strength or shorthand goal
scored by the opposing Club. The difference in these numbers is considered the
player's plus-minus statistic.
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