Penguins open up 3 goal lead after two periods and hang on for 3-2 win vs Atlanta (16-Oct-2002)
The Penguins enjoyed a 3-0 lead after two periods with goals from Aleksey Morozov, Alexei Kovalev and Randy Robitaille and then hold on for a 3-2 win against the Thrashers. Pittsburgh is now 13-0-0 all-time against Atlanta.
Lines: Morozov-Lemieux-Kovalev, Hrdina-Robitaille-Daigle, LaCouture-Primeau-Nieminen and McKenna-Manderville-Donovan.
Defensive pairings: Bergevin-Rozsival, Tarnstrom-Moran and Jonsson-Pushor.
Red-hot Aleksey Morozov opened the scoring at 14:37 of the first period. Morozov picked up the puck at the bottom of the right circle, skated towards the net, went forehand-to-backhand and deftly slid the puck underneath Atlanta goaltender, Milan Hnilicka. Morozov now has a three game goal-scoring streak.
Morozov left the game with four and a half minutes to go in the first after getting hit with the puck in the left ear. The cut required 50 [Update: 27] stitches to close and he did not return to the game.
Pittsburgh made it 2-0 with 39 seconds to go in the opening period when Alexei Kovalev netted his first of the year. While skating 4-on-4, Kovalev took a pass from Mario Lemieux at the top of the left circle and wristed the puck five-hole by Hnilicka.
Pittsburgh, Alexei Kovalev 1 (Mario Lemieux, Randy Robitaille), 19:21
Shots after one were 17-13 in favor of Pittsburgh.
The second period was dominated by the Penguins helped out in large part by having numerous power play opportunities including two partial two man advantages.
Randy Robitaille put the Pens up 3-0 with a power play goal at 13:20. Robitaille skated out fo the left corner and threw the puck toward the net where it deflected off of Atlanta's Kiril Safronov and in.
Pittsburgh, Randy Robitaille 2 (power play) (Mario Lemieux, Dick Tarnstrom), 13:20
Shots after two were 31-19 in favor of Pittsburgh.
The third period was all Atlanta as the Penguins held on for the win.
Ilya Kovalchuk made it 3-1 with a power play goal at 7:19. Kovalchuk wristed a high shot from above the left circle which beat Johan Hedberg glove-side.
The Thrashers cut the lead to one goal when Dany Heatley scored a shorthander at 14:44. Heatley had a breakaway from center ice, skated in, went forehand-to-backhand and slid it five-hole by Hedberg.
