{"id":151695,"date":"2026-03-29T17:00:12","date_gmt":"2026-03-29T17:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/151695\/"},"modified":"2026-03-29T17:00:12","modified_gmt":"2026-03-29T17:00:12","slug":"karlsson-shines-but-penguins-lose-game-and-ground","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/151695\/","title":{"rendered":"Karlsson Shines, but Penguins Lose Game and Ground"},"content":{"rendered":"

PITTSBURGH \u2014 The Dallas Stars<\/a> (44-18-11) tallied four second period goals, two on the power play, in defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins<\/a> (36-21-16), 6-3 at PPG Paints Arena on Saturday. The win for Dallas snapped a four-game losing streak and sent the Penguins to their third-consecutive home loss. They have also allowed four or more goal in ten of their last 13 games. <\/p>\n

The Penguins got an early power play and, despite the unit missing Sidney Crosby<\/a> and Evgeni Malkin<\/a>, the NHL\u2019s seventh-best power play wasted no time capitalizing. The red-hot Erik Karlsson<\/a> took a wrist shot from the blue line that was masterfully tipped in front of the net by Anthony Mantha<\/a> (27) and between the legs of Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger at 2:12 of the first to give the Penguins an early 1-0 lead. It was the Penguins\u2019 first shot on goal. <\/p>\n

The assist by Karlsson was his 14th point over his last eight games and going back even further, his 23rd point in his last 16 games. Since February 28, no other defenseman has more points than Karlsson\u2019s 25 and one other player has more points during that span, Tampa Bay\u2019s Nikita Kucherov (26). The Penguin\u2019s first goal would not be the last time Karlsson would be heard from.<\/p>\n

The Stars did not get their first shot on goal until 10:12 of the first, but ended up outshooting the Penguins 9-4 in the period, thanks in large part to three power play opportunities in the frame, including 37 seconds of a two-man advantage. Six of Dallas\u2019 nine shots in the period came via the power play, but the Penguins\u2019 third-ranked penalty kill unit and goaltender Stuart Skinner<\/a> were up to the challenge. <\/p>\n

Just as the Penguins got an early goal in the first period, the Stars tied the game just 2:10 into the second. Dallas forward Colin Blackwell drove towards the net and attempted to shovel a backhand shot on Skinner. His shot never made it on net, but instead bounced off the maze of skates in front and landed right on the stick of Justin Hryckowian<\/a> (12) who pushed the puck into an open net. Skinner had committed to the Blackwell shot attempt, leaving the entire right side of the net open. <\/p>\n

Just 48 seconds later, it was Karlsson putting the Penguins back ahead 2-1 with a perfectly placed wrist shot that clanged off the crossbar and in. It was Karlsson\u2019s 13th goal of the season and his seventh since March 16th, tying former Penguin Mikael Granlund<\/a> for the most goals in the NHL<\/a> during that span. It also gave Karlsson his eighth multi-point game in his past ten outings and ninth in his past 15 games. <\/p>\n

While the Penguins thwarted the first three Dallas power play attempts, that was not the case on the Stars\u2019 fourth and fifth power play attempts. With Parker Wotherspoon off for tripping, Jason Robertson<\/a> (40) wristed a laser from the high slot past Skinner to knot the game at two at 7:12 of the second. Skinner took a quick peek around Wyatt Johnson standing in front and it was in that moment that Robertson lasered the puck past him. Exactly three minutes later, with Elmer Soderblom<\/a> off for high-sticking, Dallas took its first lead of the game when Mikko Rantanen<\/a> (21) took a Robertson cross-ice pass from the point, dropped to one knee and blasted a slap shot past Skinner from the bottom of the right circle to put Dallas ahead 3-2. <\/p>\n

Skinner\u2019s trouble with the long-range shots continued just 1:26 later when Lian Bichsel<\/a> (4) hammered a slap shot from the center point that beat Skinner clean to his glove hand to put Dallas up by a pair, 4-2. A few seconds prior to scoring the goal it appeared that Bichsel had pulled Karlsson\u2019s stick right out of his hands. Karlsson was incensed after the puck went in, going right to the officials to let them know of the injustice he had just suffered. <\/p>\n

With Crosby and Malkin out, the Penguins have had to rely on secondary scoring and that is exactly what they got from their fourth line. Karlsson had his finger prints on this goal too, dancing with the puck at the blue line and then passing off to Soderblom who wired a wrist shot from the point that hit Noel Acciari<\/a> (10) in front and deflected past Oettinger at 8:54 of the third to pull the Penguins back to the Penguins back to within one. <\/p>\n

Head coach Dan Muse made an aggressive move in pulling Skinner with more than three minutes left in the game, but the plan backfired as Mavrik Borque (16) scored two empty net goals to seal the game for Dallas. The Penguins will have to quickly move past this game, as they have two critical games upcoming, Monday on Long Island and Tuesday at home versus Detroit. The Islanders<\/a> sit one point ahead of the Penguins in the Metropolitan Division standings with one more game played than the Penguins. Meanwhile, the Red Wings<\/a> can tie the Penguins in points (88) with a victory over Philadelphia at home on Saturday night. Pittsburgh did get some help from the San Jose Sharks<\/a>, who defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets<\/a> 3-2 in regulation on Saturday to keep them one point behind the Penguins and ensuring that the Penguins will wake up on Sunday still in a playoff position.<\/p>\n

Notes<\/p>\n

With the absence of Sidney Crosby and the continued absences of Evgeni Malkin and Blake Lizotte, the Penguins\u2019 lines took on yet another new look on Saturday.<\/p>\n

Forwards<\/p>\n

Anthony Mantha \u2013 Rickard Rakell \u2013 Bryan Rust<\/p>\n

Egor Chinakhov \u2013 Tommy Novak \u2013 Justin Brazeau<\/p>\n

Rutger McGroarty \u2013 Ben Kindel \u2013 Ville Koivunen<\/p>\n

Elmer Soderblom \u2013 Connor Dewar \u2013 Noel Acciari<\/p>\n

Defensemen<\/p>\n

Parker Wotherspoon \u2013 Erik Karlsson<\/p>\n

Sam Girard \u2013 Kris Letang<\/p>\n

Ryan Shea \u2013 Connor Clifton<\/p>\n

Additional Notes<\/p>\n

Bryan Rust had his career-best nine-game points streak snapped. <\/p>\n

The Penguins returned forwards Avery Hayes<\/a> and Joona Koppanen<\/a> to the WBS Penguins on Saturday and recalled forward Rutger McGroarty<\/a> who slotted into the lineup on Saturday against Dallas, playing 10:41 and registering two hits.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTags: Dallas Stars<\/a> erik karlsson<\/a> mikko rantanen<\/a> Pittsburgh Penguins<\/a> stuart skinner<\/a> Vince Comunale<\/a> <\/p>\n

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