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Pens/Isles Recap: Comeback Falls Just Short as Penguins Lose 5-3

Pittsburgh had two bad periods and only one good period which led to a 5-3 loss to the Islanders.

By Steelersfan23
Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

1st Period:

It looked like there wasn't going to be any score going into the first intermission but Johnny Boychuk had other ideas. Boychuk blasted a shot far side on Matt Murray with 12.8 seconds left in the period to put the Islanders up 1-0 going into the intermission. This happened right after the Penguins power play expired. The Penguins still had great chances during the period but Thomas Greiss stood tall.

2nd Period:

The Islanders got their second goal of the game not even three minutes into the period and it came on a few lucky bounces. The puck went off of three skates and into the net and Scott Mayfield will get credit for the goal.

New York made it 3-0 when Casey Cizikias scored with 2:39 left in the second period.

Third Period:

Conor Sheary finished off a nice rush by his line and scored less then a minute into the period to cut the lead to 3-1.

The Penguins come even closer with a beautiful goal by Justin Schultz with 9:20 left in regulation to cut the lead to 3-2.

Pittsburgh comes back and ties the game off an amazing effort by Sidney Crosby to steal the puck from John Tavares and Evgeni Malkin buries a perfect pass from Justin Schultz into the net.

The comeback is going to come up just short for the Penguins as Anders Lee deflects Nick Leddy's shot past Matt Murray with 26 seconds left in the third period.

Nikolai Kulemin adds an empty net goal and the Islanders will win 5-3.

Some Thoughts:

The Penguins were really good in the first period but they just kept getting unlucky bounces the entire game, especially with the Islanders second goal that went off of three skates.

Cal Clutterbuck tried to act cool and take Sidney Crosby's helmet off to try and get under his skin in the first period. He'll just keep laughing at him because he leads the league in goal scoring.

Matt Murray has to be better on the first goal. I know it was a huge shot by Boychuk but that's a shot that can't go in.

Pittsburgh left Anders Lee all alone in front of the net when the Islanders took a 4-3 lead with 26 seconds left and that's something that the Penguins need to prevent each time they play the Islanders. It just can't happen.

Sidney Crosby continues to torture the Islanders as 10.4% of all the NHL points Crosby has scored have come against the Islanders.

The Penguins will be right back in action tomorrow night when they host the Dallas Stars. Marc-Andre Fleury will be in the net most likely.

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