Acquired in a Dec. 12 trade, goaltender Stuart Skinner had yet to enjoy a victory in his first three games as an employee of the Pittsburgh Penguins.<\/p>\n
Not coincidentally, he had yet to work with a lead at any point in those three contests.<\/p>\n
Each of those trends came to a halt Tuesday as he directed the Penguins to a 5-1 win against the Carolina Hurricanes at PPG Paints Arena.<\/p>\n
Stopping 27 of 28 shots, Skinner lifted his record with the Penguins to 1-3-0. Acquired from the Edmonton Oilers earlier this month, Skinner\u2019s overall mark on the season improved to 12-11-4.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been a couple weeks being here,\u201d Skinner said. \u201cSo it felt really good to finally get the first one.\u201d<\/p>\n
Getting a win against the Hurricanes, who have largely tormented the Penguins in recent years, was a good feeling as well. Since the start of the 2022-23 season, the Penguins have won only four of 15 games (4-6-5) against their Metropolitan Division foe.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019ve been at the top of the division for a couple of years in a row,\u201d said Penguins forward Anthony Mantha, who had two goals. \u201cYou just know that it\u2019s a hard game against them. So, we were ready. Obviously, Stu made some great saves for us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Skinner worked with his first lead since joining the Penguins thanks to forward Sidney Crosby\u2019s team-leading 21st goal 3 minutes, 46 seconds into regulation.<\/p>\n
Behind the Carolina net, Hurricanes defenseman K\u2019Andre Miller was pestered into a turnover by Penguins forward Bryan Rust and the puck slid into the lower left circle. Penguins forward Rickard Rakell jumped on it and immediately tapped a pass across the slot to the opposite circle, where Crosby \u2014 while sliding backwards onto his knees \u2014 was able to swipe a one-timer by goaltender Frederik Andersen\u2019s glove on the near side. Rakell and Rust had assists.<\/p>\n
After going without a point in the past three meetings against the Carolina Hurricanes (entirety of last season), Sidney Crosby has put puck to net \u2014 Queen of the Puck (@rbarkleyhockey) December 31, 2025<\/a> <\/p>\n Penguins forward Justin Brazeau established a new career high with his 12th goal at 16:07 of the first period.<\/p>\n Recovering a puck on his own right half-wall, Penguins defenseman Brett Kulak curled around to the slot, then snapped a stretch pass to the far blue line. Brazeau accepted the offering and burst into Carolina\u2019s zone down the slot. Fending off Miller, Brazeau lunged forward and backhanded the puck from the lower left hashmark to the far side past Andersen\u2019s glove. The lone assist went to Kulak, the 100th of his career.<\/p>\n Justin Brazeau went down, but he wasn’t giving up!<\/p>\n In his last game he notched his first career NHL hat-trick, and tonight he authors an absolutely INSANE highlight reel goal to get the Penguins ahead by two!#CarolinaCulture<\/a> #LetsGoPens<\/a> #NHL<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/BqecF6c94J<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Queen of the Puck (@rbarkleyhockey) December 31, 2025<\/a> <\/p>\n It was the fourth goal in two games for Brazeau, who had his first career hat trick Sunday in a 7-3 road win against the Blackhawks.<\/p>\n \u201c(Kulak) made a great look to me,\u201d Brazeau said. \u201cIt was kind of a lucky one. Just chipped it and got a lucky one in.\u201d<\/p>\n The Penguins\u2019 good fortune continued only a mere 65 seconds later when Mantha struck with his 13th goal during a power-play sequence.<\/p>\n Controlling the puck in the high slot of the offensive zone, Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson dribbled a bouncing pass to the left circle for Rust, who whipped a wrister toward the cage. Andersen made the initial save with his left leg but yielded a rebound above the crease. Establishing position on Hurricanes rookie defenseman Alexander Nikishin, Mantha batted the loose puck past Andersen\u2019s charred glove. Rust and Karlsson collected assists.<\/p>\n The numbers didn’t lie tonight as Anthony Mantha scored the Pens’ third goal in the first period<\/p>\n Pittsburgh Penguins PP%: 29.70 (3rd in NHL, 4.70 ahead of 4th) \u2014 Queen of the Puck (@rbarkleyhockey) December 31, 2025<\/a> <\/p>\n Penguins forward Tommy Novak got in on the act with his seventh goal at 15:08 of the second period.<\/p>\n Off a cross-ice stretch pass by Penguins defenseman Parker Wotherspoon, Novak gained the offensive blue line on the right wing, juked past Hurricanes forward William Carrier and whipped a wrister from the high slot through traffic and by Andersen\u2019s glove. Nikishin appeared to inadvertently screen Andersen on the sequence. Wotherspoon and Karlsson collected assists.<\/p>\n Tommy Novak made it 4-0 with right under five minutes left in the second period#CarolinaCulture<\/a> #LetsGoPens<\/a> #NHL<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/ehDqoRQe08<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Queen of the Puck (@rbarkleyhockey) December 31, 2025<\/a> <\/p>\n Exactly three minutes later, Mantha found the net again.<\/p>\n From the defensive blue line, Novak snapped a stretch pass across the ice, allowing Mantha entry into the offensive zone on the right wing. Maneuvering above the near circle, Mantha fed the puck across the ice for Brazeau, who immediately dished it to the top of the crease, where a rushing Mantha deflected a backhand shot by Andersen\u2019s leaky glove. Brazeau and Novak nabbed assists.<\/p>\n Anthony Mantha – Pittsburgh Penguins (14) pic.twitter.com\/6a65lTaOa6<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 NHL Goal Videos (@NHLGoalVideos) December 31, 2025<\/a> <\/p>\n \u201cWe did a great cross-ice,\u201d Mantha said. \u201cKind of created a two-on-two. (Brazeau) let go, and I tried to beat that guy one-on-one. He just gave me a perfect dish for a redirect there. So, great play all around.\u201d<\/p>\n Ex-Penguins forward Mark Jankowski accounted for the Hurricanes\u2019 only offense with his second goal only 17 seconds afterward.<\/p>\n Off the ensuing faceoff, Hurricanes rookie defenseman Joel Nystrom fired a stretch pass from his blue line to Jankowski as he gained the Penguins\u2019 zone on the right wing. Generating a two-on-one rush with Carrier against Karlsson, Jankowski elected to shoot and roofed a wrister past Skinner\u2019s glove. Nystrom and defensive partner Mike Reilly registered assists.<\/p>\n MARK JANKOWSKI! MARK FREAKIN’ JANKOWSKI! \u2014 Queen of the Puck (@rbarkleyhockey) December 31, 2025<\/a> <\/p>\n Any notion \u2014 or, more appropriately, nightmare \u2014 of the Penguins yielding another multi-goal lead in the third period \u2014 as has occurred far too often this month \u2014 was not to be as they largely bolted the game down. The Hurricanes had a lead in shots over the final 20 minutes, but it was only an 8-6 advantage.<\/p>\n The Penguins didn\u2019t exactly collapse into a defensive shell, but they certainly didn\u2019t keep the afterburners on offensively.<\/p>\n A balance was established over the final frame, allowing them to secure victory.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you get up a lead like that, you\u2019re obviously doing something right,\u201d Brazeau said. \u201cIt\u2019s trying to make sure you\u2019re doing a lot of the same things. Obviously, you don\u2019t want to be risking too many things, but you get up to a lead for a reason. You don\u2019t want to stop playing. Teams are too good if you sit back. They\u2019re obviously going to come at you.<\/p>\n \u201cContinue to do a lot of the same things.\u201d<\/p>\n Presumably, Skinner would like to continue operating with a lead and winning.<\/p>\n STUUUUUUU (x2) ????\ufe0f<\/p>\n Skinner is having a GAME ???? https:\/\/t.co\/aFaX1p2xhX<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/2d4v9S5PeM<\/a><\/p>\n
It’s his 68th career point against the Canes, and his 21st goal of the season#CarolinaCulture<\/a> #LetsGoPens<\/a> #NHL<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/LboIFnelk5<\/a><\/p>\n
Carolina Hurricanes PK%: 80.19 (16th in NHL, 0.19 ahead of 17th)#CarolinaCulture<\/a> #LetsGoPens<\/a> #NHL<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/w9EmxcySIL<\/a><\/p>\n
Okay, it’s still 5-1, but at least the Carolina Hurricanes have some sparkles in their step now
(BTDubs, the Pittsburgh Penguins lead the league in blown leads in the third period, for what it’s worth…)#CarolinaCulture<\/a> #LetsGoPens<\/a> #NHL<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/4S9aWUPnWP<\/a><\/p>\n