• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Letestu lifts Penguins over Coyotes in SO

Nov 7, 2010 - 4:54 AM Glendale, AZ (Sports Network) - Mark Letestu scored the only goal of the shootout on the last attempt to lift Pittsburgh to a 4-3 come-from-behind win over Phoenix at Jobing.com Arena.

Letestu beat Ilya Bryzgalov with a wrist shot through the five-hole in his first career shootout try, as the Penguins halted a two-game slide and won for just the second time in their last seven games.

Brent Johnson took over early in the first period for an ineffective Marc- Andre Fleury and turned away 22 of the 23 shots he faced in relief to grab the win.

"In this situation we needed Johnny to come in and get us some saves," said Pittsburgh head coach Dan Bylsma. "He gave us a chance to get our feet underneath us and he did and we were able to pull it out."

Wojtek Wolski had a goal and an assist for the Coyotes, who have lost three of their last four games.

Bryzgalov allowed three goals on 36 shots in regulation and suffered the defeat.

"I thought we competed hard and did some good things out there," said Phoenix head coach Dave Tippett. "We've gotta keep pounding away. You don't always get rewarded for it, but hard work eventually pays off."

Radim Vrbata and Sidney Crosby were stopped in the first round of the shootout before Wolski and Kris Letang were denied in round two.

Lauri Korpikoski shot wide before Letestu scored the game-winner to end the Pens' four-game road trip on a positive note.

Phoenix scored just 2:35 into the game when Wolski carried down the right side on a 2-on-2 and passed to Belanger, who got behind the defense before going backhand to forehand to beat Fleury shortside

Vrbata made a cross ice pass to Ray Whitney, who carried into the Penguins zone on the left side and dropped a pass at the top of the left circle for Vrbata, who made his way to the net, and, as he was being taken down, slid a backhander past Fleury as the net came dislodged, to make it 2-0, 6:56 into the contest.

Fleury was then removed from the game and replaced by Johnson.

Crosby converted a giveaway into the visitors first goal 76 seconds into the middle session before Malkin tallied three minutes later to tie the score. The Russian sped down the right side and sent a backhand pass toward the slot that was blocked. The puck came right back to him and he wristed it past Bryzgalov.

Phoenix regained the lead with 4:24 to go in the period when Wolski worked his way out of a logjam and wristed a shot off the inside of Johnson's pad and into the net.

Pittsburgh got the game even again on the power play when Letestu passed from behind the net through the crease to Chris Kunitz, who one-timed it home with 34 ticks remaining.

Game Notes

Pittsburgh's last victory over the Coyotes came at Mellon Arena on December 3, 2007...Johnson improved to 6-1-1 on the season...He earned his fifth win in 11 games against Phoenix...Kunitz played in his 400th career game...He has 10 goals and 21 points in 29 outings versus the Coyotes...Bryzgalov is 2-2-0 in four career games against the Pens...Vrbata has six goals and 12 points in 12 career matches versus Pittsburgh...Wolski has three goals and six points in four career outings against the Pens...The Penguins were 1-for-5 on the power play while the Coyotes were 0-for-4 with the man advantage.