Gronk Fuels Third Period Comeback Win Over Oilers, 3-2

For all Penguins third-line center Jordan Staal has accomplished in his short career -- 29 goals as a rookie (including 7 shorties), forming perhaps the best third line in the game with mates Tyler Kennedy and Matt Cooke, and being arguably the Penguins' best player when they won games 6 and 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals last season -- Gronk, as he's known to teammates, had never recorded a three-assist game in the NHL.

Let alone in one period.

Well, like Austin Powers' crossing off "threesome with Japanese twins" on his list of "Things To Do Before I Die" in the third GOLDMEMBER installment of that series, Staal can cross that one off after his virtuoso performance in the third period of last night's 3-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers at Rexall Place in Edmonton.

With zero points from Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin, the Penguins were hanging on to the cliff going into the third period last night, down 2-0 after 40 minutes of some pretty uninspired hockey, but thanks to Staal -- and a little help from teammates Bill Guerin and Marc-Andre Fleury -- the Penguins were able to come back from the dead and win their second game in two nights and third of 4 to leave them 3-1 on a 5-game road trip that finishes in Vancouver against the Canucks at GM Place on Saturday night.

Staal got the primary assist on goals by Tyler Kennedy (a wrister), Matt Cooke (a power play marker) and Pascal Dupuis (a deflection off his leg) in the first 10 minutes of the third period to lead the scoring charge against a netminder -- Devan Dubnyk -- who was making only his third NHL start and should have had googly-eyes facing Crosby, Malkin and company but who instead, nevertheless, looked like Martin Brodeur against them in periods one and two.

Meanwhile, Fleury actually tried to jumpstart the Penguins beginning late in the second period.

After allowing two Edmonton power play goals up to that point -- including a 5-on-3 goal -- Fleury was bowled over in the crease by Oilers' forward Robert Nilsson and instantly took exception, getting up over the ice-bound forward and throwing a few jabs at him before his teammates and other players came in the fray like killer bees on a swarm.

Both players received minors in the fracas.

Then, within the first 90 seconds of the final frame -- and during the ensuing 4-on-4 -- Fleury rejected the best Edmonton forward, Dustin Penner, on a breakaway with a pokecheck, just one of his 33 stops on 35 Oiler shots in the game.

He did all that after having sustained a cut on his left ring finger thanks to a Penner shot earleir in the contest.

Less than two minutes after The Flower's stop on Edmonton's big gun, the Penguins' onslaught was on, and the Oilers never recovered.

Bill Guerin also deserves a helper, as he apparently stood up in the dressing room between periods two and three and had a few choice words for his teammates.

Obviously, they responded well, getting back to playing their kind of game in the third period against an Oilers team that had been so bad the last month -- losing 12 of their last 13 -- but who looked like All-Stars against them in the first and second frames last night.

"It was the best game we played in a long time", offered their star defenseman, Sheldon Souray.

Good thing the Penguins didn't decide to tank it thanks to fatigue in the third after playing and beating the Calgary Flames the night before. As it is, they gained 2 points on the New Jersey Devils, who lost to the Phoenix Coyotes last night, and are now only 4 back of the Atlantic Division leaders.

The Devils do have 4 games in hand, however.

More shortly.