Hurricanes 1 - 2 Penguins
Final - 2OT
  for this game

Pens edge Hurricanes in SO

Jan 18, 2012 - 4:25 AM Pittsburgh, PA (Sports Network) - James Neal scored the game-deciding goal in the shootout as the Pittsburgh Penguins took a 2-1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday.

Evgeni Malkin scored in regulation for Pittsburgh, while Marc-Andre Fleury made 25 saves as the Penguins snapped a four-game home losing streak. Their last win at CONSOL Energy Center was a 4-2 decision over the Hurricanes on December 27.

"It was a good team effort and good for our confidence," Fleury said about the game.

Jamie McBain lit the lamp for the Hurricanes, who have lost eight of their last nine road games to fall to 5-13-5 on the road this season.

Cam Ward stopped 40-of-41 shots in defeat.

After Malkin and Carolina's Jussi Jokinen traded goals in the first round of the shootout, Chris Kunitz and Jeff Skinner each failed to put the puck in the net.

Neal then started down the right side of the ice before cutting across to the left and sending a hard wrister into the short side.

Eric Staal came up next with a chance to keep Carolina alive, but his backhander was stopped by Fleury's left pad as the goaltender stretched across the crease to give Pittsburgh the win.

"We've had a tough time trying to find a way to win," said McBain. "We feel good about our game. We just have to keep fighting and eventually the results will turn."

Carolina struck first just 2:11 into the opening period when McBain received a slow-moving pass in the high slot and wristed the puck past Fleury's stick side.

But Malkin sent the game into the first intermission tied at one after gathering his own rebound to the right of the net and lifting a shot under the crossbar from close range with 1:22 left on the clock.

Each goaltender shut the door from there, as Fleury made eight saves in the second, six in the third and two in overtime, while Ward stopped 11 shots in the second, 11 in the third and six in OT.

Game Notes

Pittsburgh is now 12-7-2 at home on the season...The Penguins took the season series 3-1...Carolina went 0-for-3 on the power play...Pittsburgh was 0-for-1 on the man advantage.






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