Penguins Rout Panthers

     The Pittsburgh Penguins stomped the Florida Panthers 9-4 at PPG Paints Arena on Saturday. The Panthers are one point away from being eliminated from postseason contention and their two-time Stanley Cup championship title reign ended.

     Both teams are playing consecutive days at the same venue. They will meet in Pittsburgh again tomorrow. 

     Penguins venter and captain Sidney Crosby had two assists in the game. He passed Steve Yzerman for seventh all-time in NHL history with 1,755 points.

     Pittsburgh(39-22-16) blasted out to a 1-0 lead just 20 seconds into the contest. Former Panthers player Noel Acciari scored his 12th goal this season on a backhand shot from the left side of the crease past Sergei Bobrovsky.

     The Penguins extended their lead to 2-0 on the man advantage at 5:06 of the first. Crosby angled a pass from the low right circle and Erik Karlsson ripped a slap shot from from above the right circle for his 14th goal in 2025-26. 

     Florida(37-36-3) answered back at the 7:10 mark of the first period and cut it to 2-1. A.J.Greer scored his 15th goal of the campaign with a wrist shot from the top of the crease.

     The Panthers tied it up 2-2 with 5:29 remaining in the opening frame. Seth Jones rifled a slap shot from the right point for his seventh goal of the year.

     In the second period, the Pens reclaimed the lead 3-2 at 1:51. Anthony Mantha collected his 31st goal of the season on a forehand shot from the left wing.

     It became 4-2 for Pittsburgh on the power play at the 5:51 mark of the second. Evgeni Malkin snapped in a shot from the right side of the crease for his 1,400 NHL career point.

     The Penguins made it 5-2 at 8:27 of the period. Malkin tipped in a shot from the blue paint for his second tally of the game and 17th goal this season.

     The Pens continued with their momentum and increased to 6-2 with 10:07 to go in the second on a goal by Elmer Soderblom.

     The Panthers surrendered two more goals in a 19-second stretch late in the frame and were down 8-2. Rickard Rakell scored a power-play tally with 2:12 left and Ryan Shea got an even-strength goal with 1:53 remaining.

     Malkin completed a hat trick at the 3:30 mark of the third period for a seven-goal margin. He scored his third goal of the contest for his 14th career hat trick.