Defenseman Kris Letang scored 59 seconds into overtime to give the Pittsburgh Penguins a 4-3 come-from-behind win over the host Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday night.
Letang also had an assist. Sidney Crosby netted two goals and Bryan Rust the other for the Penguins, who won for the third time in eight games (3-2-3). Tommy Novak had two assists, and Tristan Jarry made 26 saves.
Defenseman Zach Werenski had a goal and an assist and Sean Monahan and Brendan Gaunce also scored for the Blue Jackets, who have blown third-period leads in three of their last four games (0-1-3).
Columbus goalie Jet Greaves stopped 20 shots. Eight of his past nine starts have gone into overtime, and he is 4-0-5 in that span.
Letang’s OT goal came from the slot after a give-and-go with Novak.
Crosby tied the game 3-3 at 8:28 of the third period with his second goal of the night. He caught up with a long pass off the right-wing boards just short of the crease, controlled the puck with one hand on his stick and put it in for his fourth goal in five games.
The Blue Jackets led 3-1 after two periods before Rust scored 13 seconds into the third. He beat Greaves from the top of the right circle for his second goal in two games.
Columbus scored twice in the second period to take a two-goal lead.
Gaunce’s short-handed tally 3:51 into the middle period gave the Blue Jackets a 2-1 lead. He tipped in a pass on a 2-on-1 rush for his first goal of the season.
Werenski doubled the margin with just 3.3 seconds remaining in the second on a one-time slap shot from the top outside edge of the left circle. His fifth goal in seven games was set up by a pass from Charlie Coyle, who battled for control of the puck below the left circle.
The assist was Coyle’s 500th career point.
The game was tied 1-1 after the first period.
Crosby’s first goal gave Pittsburgh a 1-0 lead at 6:10. Monahan tied it with 6:20 left in the opening frame, snapping his nine-game goal drought.
–Field Level Media
