Penguins 3 - 1 Hurricanes
Final
  for this game

Megna helps Pens skate past Hurricanes

Oct 29, 2013 - 3:24 AM Raleigh, NC (SportsNetwork.com) - Jayson Megna was in the way and ended up with his first NHL goal.

He got his first assist, too.

Megna, playing his second game, was credited with a goal after Sidney Crosby's shot went in off his skate and the Pittsburgh Penguins snapped their longest losing streak in almost two years Monday with a 3-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes.

Crosby had two assists and a hand in all three Pittsburgh goals. His shot from the slot in the third period deflected off Megna to give the Penguins their 3-1 lead.

"I think he'll remember it (as) top-shelf a couple years from now," Penguins coach Dan Bylsma deadpanned.

Megna who was called up from the AHL last Thursday and made his debut in Friday's loss to the Islanders, assisted on Tanner Glass' first-period goal after driving to the net and getting off a shot.

Chris Kunitz also scored and Brooks Orpik had three assists for the Penguins, who snapped a three-game losing streak -- their longest since a six-game slide from Dec. 29, 2011-Jan. 11, 2012.

Marc-Andre Fleury faced few shots early on and made 20 saves as Pittsburgh (8-4-0) beat Carolina for the seventh time in their last eight meetings.

Nathan Gerbe had a power-play goal for the Hurricanes (4-5-3), who have lost three in a row.

"We're not giving up much, but when we do, like tonight, the good players capitalize on us," Carolina head coach Kirk Muller remarked. "We need more from other people as well."

With Carolina's top two goaltenders -- Cam Ward and Anton Khudobin -- both on injured reserve with lower body injuries, Justin Peters allowed three goals on 29 shots.

The Penguins were without defenseman Rob Scuderi, who has a broken ankle and will need surgery, Bylsma said. Scuderi, who was injured Saturday, missed a game for the first time since the 2009-10 season.

"There is no timetable for his return," Bylsma said.

Crosby's neutral-zone faceoff win in the opening period led to Megna's shot, which produced a long rebound from Peters. Glass was on the left side to fire it in for a 1-0 lead 8:25 into the game.

Crosby and the Penguins controlled play, not allowing a Hurricanes shot in the first 12 minutes of the game.

But Brandon Sutter went off for tripping and Craig Adams was whistled for a slashing penalty 1:17 after that to give Carolina a 5-on-3, leading to Gerbe's goal from the slot late in the first on a one-timer off Elias Lindholm's pass from the low left side.

Crosby set up Kunitz with a seeing-eye pass to make it 2-1 late in the second. Kunitz had Hurricanes center Jordan Staal beat in the slot and Crosby threaded a pass to him from above the right circle.

Megna's goal came 7:11 into the third period.

It was the second of four meetings between the Metropolitan Division teams this season. Jussi Jokinen had a hat trick in Pittsburgh's 5-2 win over Carolina on Oct. 8.

Game Notes

Crosby has 20 points. He was leading the league entering Monday ... Carolina's only win against the Penguins since Nov. 12, 2011, came Feb. 28 last season ... Hurricanes center Brett Sutter received minor boarding penalty for hitting Adams from behind in the first period and a five-minute major for fighting Joe Vitale afterward ... The Penguins are home against Boston on Wednesday ... The Hurricanes are off until a home game Friday against Tampa Bay.






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