The Magnificent Malkin Caps Comeback From 3-0; Pens' Beat Lightning, 4-3 (OT)

Through 2 periods against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Mellon Arena last night, the Penguins had to feel like their season was slipping away.

Down 3-0 on their home ice to a team 10 points beneath them in the standings and needing every point they can manage just to continue to have a chance to get into the playoffs, things didn't look good.

The Penguins had failed to dent Tampa Bay rookie goaltender Mike McKenna -- making his first start in the National Hockey League -- a single time, and had failed miserably on the power play, including coming up empty on a full 2-minute, 2-man advantage.

That's when the NHL's leading scorer single-handedly turned the game around and led the Penguins to a magnificent 4 goal comeback from 3-0 down to win the game with 16 seconds left in overtime.

Malkin started things off with a goal a few minutes into the final frame when he picked up a loose puck behind McKenna and tapped it home following a shot by LW Pascal Dupuis that rang off the iron.

Slowly the Penguins started to build momentum, and that carried through the period when Defenseman Mark Eaton got a goal by -- here's an idea -- throwing the puck to the net. It bounced off a Lightning defenseman and in to bring the Penguins within one with about 6 minutes to go.

Then, a few minutes later, former Penguin Gary Roberts and current Penguin Matt Cooke had a little run in. WWGRD?? Punch Cooke in the head and cost his team an inexcusable penalty at a key point in the game.

Sure enough, the Penguins made the Lightning pay.

With an assist from Malkin, Petr Sykora scored on the man-advantage, taking a puck from Geno and squeezing a shot by McKenna with 4 of the guys on the power play, including Defenseman Kris Letang, doing what they don't do enough of -- crash the goal.

That just set the stage for #71.

Malkin took a quick pass from Jordan Staal in the slot and, with a Lightning defenseman draped all over him, snapped a quick shot underneat McKenna for the game-winner with only seconds remaining in overtime before the game went to a shootout.

Let's face it. Malkin won this game for Pittsburgh. He was just plain dominant for the Penguins when they needed him most. He was physical, aggressive, fast, and just all over the ice in the 3rd period and overtime. He couldn't be stopped. He saved the Penguins in this one.

AND, quite possibly, he saved their season.

Of course, I've seen the Penguins fail to successfully build off key victories before this season when they needed to, so there's no guarantee they'll do that this time. However, the Penguins have been on the receiving end of big comebacks this season far more than they've made them, so this could be big for them.

The Penguins are in the midst of a 4-game home stand. They have a chance to keep things going on Friday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. If they win there, then they position themselves to roll down the stretch because the next 2 contests after that are against the best in the league, a nationally televised Sunday afternoon game against the Detroit Red Wings, followed by a contest against the San Jose Sharks 3 days later. If the Penguins can manage victories against that group, their confidence and momentum will be as high as it has been all season.

You can't ask for more than that. And it's what the Penguins need.

But they can't just sit tight. They need to consistently play with the desperation they showed in the 3rd period and overtime last night. Without that sweat and desire, they won't win. They will have to play their best hockey of the year, especially against the Red Wings and Sharks. The Penguins tend to raise their game against good teams -- and on National television -- and lower it against lesser teams. Hopefully that will be the case again.

More over the weekend.

NOTES:

Penguins coach Michel Therrein had announced after the morning skate that RW Miroslav Satan would be scratched for the game. Apparently he changed his mind (or someone above him in the organization directed otherwise) because Satan was in the lineup for his 1,000th NHL game.

Alex Goligoski was a healthy scratch. Chris Minard and Phillipe Boucher also watched the game with GoGo in street clothes.