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Election night results: Pens comeback out-votes McDavid's 3 assists

The Penguins mount a comeback and overcome Connor McDavid's 3 assists to beat the Oilers 4-3.

By Hooks Orpik
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

1st period

A nice subtle shift by the Penguins coming into the game to bump Conor Sheary up a line and he scores the first goal of the just 1:57 in. Sheary blasts a slapshot by Cam Talbot to make it 1-0. Nice play by Bryan Rust to collect the turnover by Milan Lucic as well.

Pittsburgh takes a penalty and Edmonton doesn't do much with it...Then EDM takes a penalty and the Pens have a low key power play.

The Oilers tie the game up after the Pens lose possession in their offensive zone. Connor McDavid gets the puck past Brian Dumoulin to Jordan Eberle who fires a shot by Matt Murray to tie the game at 1.

McDavid's brilliance out in full force as he burns down the wing past Brian Dumoulin like he isn't even there, then McDavid feathers a beauty of a pass past Kris Letang and connects with Patrick Maroon who has an easy goal to take the lead for the Oil.

Shots were 11-9 Edmonton. McDavid was seemingly everywhere, his skating is just off the charts. Look at him on this play on Carl Hagelin (who's fast himself, even if he's slowing to look for a shot).

2nd period

The Penguins get a big chance but Patric Hornqvist can't score and Edmonton brings numbers the other way. Letang and Dumoulin don't communicate well both overplay McDavid, which allows Eberle to walk right in unmolested and tucks the puck past Murray.

The Pens top line strikes, Crosby starts a play and a pass from Trevor Daley clicks off Hornqvist's skate and to Hagelin. He fans on the shot but it's elevation of the puck, not velocity that mattered to get the puck past the goalie.

Shots are tied at 23 at this point

3rd period

The Pens turn to play counter-attack, after Tyler Pitlick can't score on Murray the puck goes the other way and Phil Kessel's shot clicks off traffic and Evgeni Malkin makes a beautiful one-handed chip on the puck into the net to tie the game at 3.

Pittsburgh gets a little lucky when Sheary smacks one on net that Talbot saves but Benoit Pouliot swats at it and the puck flutters in the net. Have to make your own luck for that, but with less than 2 minutes to go you gladly take it.

That will be the end of the game. Pens win.

Some Thoughts

  • By virtue of his the first goal of the game and the last as well, that makes 7 points in 6 games now for Sheary this season. Not really a great goal for Talbot to give up on the first one from far, seeing it all the way, but give credit to a great shot.
  • McDavid's assist on the Oilers second goal was reminiscent of a play Crosby's made a ton of times. It's been a while since the Penguins have been the ones helpless at the hands of such a dominant player.
  • Dumoulin/Letang got victimized. Part a tip-your-hat to McDavid situation, but bigger picture the 2 haven't been all that great together this season so far.
  • Ironically, the Oilers top pair of Adam Larsson and Oskar Klefbom were each a -3 on the night themselves with some sloppy play.
  • Another quietly good night for the Maatta/Daley pairing, on ice for 2 GF, 0 GA.
  • Game-high 7 shots on goal for Hornqvist. Seemed the PP strategy was pretty passes on the outside, throw a prayer to the traffic and hope PH72 could get a stick on it first. Didn't pay off.
  • Murray kind of got the treatment Marc-Andre Fleury got in October; goalie played pretty well but teams defense broke down completely. Of course, a lot of that was #97 in white.
  • Both teams looked content to go end-to-end and trade a lot of chances back and forth for much of the night.

And so ends. McDavid was amazing early, but a veteran Pens team never got down on themselves and they stuck with it and eventually made it all up to get the win in regulation. Champions advantage, some would say.

Pens off until Thursday for a home game with Minnesota.

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