Poni Scores In Debut, as Penguins, Crosby Whip Stars, 6-3, For 3rd Straight Win

Two days after revving up the machine and posting not only a road franchise record 55 shots against goaltender Henrik Lundqvist and the New York Rangers on Thursday in a 5-4 overtime win, but also an NHL record 50 registered hits in one game, the Pittsburgh Penguins were back at it again Saturday at home against the Dallas Stars.

The Penguins fell behind, 3-1, early in the second period, but then stepped on the gas, scored 5 unanswered goals and rolled by the Stars to a 6-3 victory.

Pittsburgh now has 82 points, and is 3 above the New Jersey Devils in the Atlantic Division.

Jordan Staal got things going for Pittsburgh, beating Stars' netminder Kari Lehtonen on a semi-breakaway just a few minutes into the game for his 18th goal of the season.

The Penguins got on their heels after that, though, allowing Mike Ribeiro to tie the score later in the period, then giving up quick back-to-back goals by Brandon Segal and Loui Eriksson about a minute apart to fall behind by two early in the second period and leave everyone wondering whether Pens' netminder Marc-Andre Fleury would have to take a seat on the bench for the 2nd straight game.

Then, the onslaught began.

Chris Kunitz started it, taking a nice cross-ice pass from defenseman Kris Letang and beating Lehtonen high glove side to make things 3-2.

Letang then fed Pascal Dupuis for a re-direct at the foot of the crease to tie the score at 3.

Sidney Crosby added his NHL leading 43rd goal of the season a few minutes later bouncing a backhand wraparound in off a Dallas defender, then upped that total to 44 early in the 3rd period by beating Lehtonen top shelf, near corner on a 2-on-1.

New addition Alexei Ponikarovsky finished off the Stars with a power play goal with about 5 minutes to go when he took a missed shot off the back boards and quickly re-adjusted himself to whack the puck up and over a beleaugered Lehtonen off the crossbar and in.

Overall, it was another strong effort for the team. The penalty killing unit killed off all 6 Dallas power plays and, while Evgeni Malkin was surprisingly held off the scoresheet -- halting his career-tying 15-game point streak -- Chris Kunitz and Pascal Dupuis were really strong players again.

It says something when you can put 6 pucks in the net easily without any contribution from one of the best players in the world, doesn't it?

Anyway, Dupuis filled in on the top line with Crosby and Kunitz for the 2nd straight game, since Bill Guerin again missed yesterday's contest with back spasms.

Guerin is day-to-day and questionable for this afternoon's game at Mellon against the Boston Bruins when the Penguins have to get right back on the horse.

We'll see if they can stretch their post-Olympic winning streak to 4.

Let's Go Pens!