Takeaways: Penguins Come Back Yet Again To Earn Point In Crosby's Return Game

It seems that on a nightly basis, the no-quit attitude of the Pittsburgh Penguins is on full display, even when they're pretty much down and out of a hockey game.

Well, that was certainly the case on Wednesday against the Carolina Hurricanes. The Penguins - with captain Sidney Crosby in their lineup for the first time since before the Olympic break - had absolutely nothing in the first two periods of this game. They were turning pucks over left and right, getting completely caved in by Carolina's forecheck, and leaving goaltender Stuart Skinner out to dry.

By all measures, it was nothing short of a miracle that the Penguins were only down by a goal - a 2-1 score - heading into the third period. Skinner was responsible for that, as he was brilliant when he had to be in this game to give his team a chance. 

And even if the Penguins ended up on the wrong side of an overtime result yet again, the third period was one for the ages - and just another example of the character present in this group of players. 

Pittsburgh lost to Carolina, 6-5, on an overtime goal by defenseman Sean Walker with just 29 seconds remaining in the extra frame. However, this was only after a third period that saw the Penguins finally come to life, as they registered five goals and kept finding ways to bounce back, even when Carolina struck.

To say things started out messy and awful for the Penguins is an understatement. After coming out of the gate pretty strong, Pittsburgh was rewarded with a power play opportunity approaching the midway point of the first, and almost right away, Carolina forward Jordan Martinook took it back the other way and scored a shorthanded goal to give the Canes a 1-0 lead.

The Penguins were awful the rest of the period, and the second was no different. Crosby did score halfway through the second to even the score at 1-1, but Carolina kept coming, and they got it back seven minutes later when Jackson Blake put one home to restore a one-goal lead for the Hurricanes.

Then, at the end of the second, Crosby and Andrei Svechnikov were going at it, and Svechnikov got the extra penalty for holding the stick. Jordan Staal took a tripping penalty less than 30 seconds into the third, and the Penguins found themselves on a five-on-three opportunity for a minute and a half. 

And that's when the Penguins' best player since at least the Olympic break really took over. Erik Karlsson scored the equalizer with a slapshot bomb from the point for his second point of the game, but Carolina's Taylor Hall got the lead back for the Canes less than three minutes later to make it 3-2.

That was only the beginning of the crazy, too. Less than four minutes later, Bryan Rust found himself on a breakaway opportunity, and he buried it to knot things up yet again. But, again, Logan Stankoven scored on the power play with seven minutes to go in regulation to put Carolina up, 4-3.

But Karlsson struck again. Less than two minutes after the Stankoven goal, Karlsson made a fantastic keep with his foot at the offensive blue line, and the puck found its way back to his stick off a feed from defense partner Parker Wotherspoon. Karlsson undressed Sebastian Aho before finding his way to the slot, where he buried a scorching wrister to tie the game at 4-4. 

Then, just 23 seconds later, Anthony Mantha found rookie Ben Kindel breaking into the offensive zone, and with Shayne Gostisbehere on his heels, he was able to beat Frederik Andersen and give the Penguins their first lead of the game at 5-4 with 4:51 remaining in regulation. 

It was definitely setting up to be a feel-good win for the Penguins, who came back resoundingly after starting the game with one of their worst efforts of the season. Skinner made another unbelievable save Superman-style shortly after to preserve the one-goal lead for the Penguins.

Unfortunately, the craziness continued, but this time, not to the Penguins’ benefit. With under three minutes to go in regulation, K’Andre Miller found the back of the net in the form of a deflection to tie it up at 5-5 and force overtime, where both teams controlled at various points but the Canes got the last laugh with the Walker goal.

Of course, getting two points at this time of year is paramount, especially with the Columbus Blue Jackets just three points behind and out of the playoffs and the New York Islanders just one point back. However, it’s tough to be disappointed in the result, especially in a game where the Penguins probably had no business earning any points. 

Win, lose, it doesn’t matter - these Penguins fight to the death, and they aren’t going away. 

Here are just a few quick thoughts and takeaways from this entertaining slugfest of a game:

_ I don’t know what else to say about Karlsson right now. 

This guy is fourth in the NHL in points (17 points in 11 games) since the Olympic break behind only Nikita Kucherov, Martin Necas, and Connor McDavid. Yes, you read that right.

And if you’re watching Karlsson, the points don’t even begin to scratch the surface of what he’s meant to the Penguins this season and down the stretch run. He’s making defensive plays. He’s been outstanding on the penalty kill. He’s unchained and allowing himself to play to his ability to create offense and use his skating and vision to his advantage. 

Karlsson has been magnificent, and I do not think the Penguins are a playoff-bound team without him this season. He’s been the best version of himself since 2017 with the Ottawa Senators, and he has been this team’s MVP this season.

_ As for the MVP of this game? Karlsson has a case. But I’ve got to give this to Skinner.

It’s not often that you say a goaltender was outstanding when they surrender six goals. But he was. In fact, the Hurricanes would have put up double digits had he not been spectacular.

Carolina scored six times because the Penguins’ defense was that atrocious in front of Skinner. Not because of Skinner. He was great in this game, and he continues to be serviceable for the Penguins.

_ Crosby didn’t look the least bit rusty in this game. There were a few instances of misplays defensively - which, to be honest, has been an issue for his entire line this season - but he, by and large, looked 100 percent in this one. 

The Penguins were actually playing well without Crosby, but having him back in the lineup sure was noticeable. It allowed 26-goal Mantha to slide back down to the third line, and he, Kindel, and Justin Brazeau clicked again immediately. 

The depth of this lineup is much more evident with its best player back, and it certainly makes the Penguins a four-line matchup nightmare for most teams. 

_ Kris Letang’s play as of late has been concerning. He simply cannot do very much right at the moment, and it is hurting the Penguins. 

He was only credited with one giveaway against the Hurricanes, but it went beyond that. He was losing puck battles all night. His passes were errant. His decision-making was slow, and a processing delay was evident. It’s been like this for most of the season, aside from a stretch with left-side blueliner Brett Kulak, who was acquired from the Edmonton Oilers but sent to the Colorado Avalanche for defenseman Sam Girard and a second-round pick later on. 

Honestly, yes, the trade made sense. Girard is younger, has more offensive upside, and the Penguins recouped that second-rounder out of it, too. But Kulak was getting the best out of Letang we’ve seen this season, and they’re a pairing that just clicked. 

I think that trade is the only thing that may come close to a bit of a blip on Kyle Dubas’s radar this season. 

_ Well, the Penguins ended their hardest road trip of the entire 2025-26 season with six out of 10 points. 

Not bad at all. 

But things don’t get any easier for the rest of the month. The Penguins will take on the climbing Winnipeg Jets, then the Hurricanes again, and then the Avalanche again before playing the Ottawa Senators, Dallas Stars, Islanders, and Detroit Red Wings to close out March. 

The Islanders are just one point back of the Penguins, and the Jackets are three points behind. They both play Thursday, and the Penguins don’t. This race is tight. Very tight. But, for Penguins’ fans, I’m sure it’s nice to care about the outcomes of each of these games at this time of year again. 

This team has something special about it, and I do believe they can make a run if they can get to the dance. But, alas, they still have to get there first, and - even if they have the tiebreakers and are in the advantageous position right now - it’s still going to be an adrenaline-rushed race to the finish line.

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