Letang returns, has 4 points to lift Penguins past Panthers in OT

PITTSBURGH -- Kris Letang had two goals and two assists, including the game-winner with 54 seconds remaining in overtime, to give the Pittsburgh Penguins a 7-6 victory against the Florida Panthers at PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday.

Letang scored on a one-timer set up by Evgeni Malkin. The defenseman missed 11 games since sustaining a lower-body injury Dec. 28, and was in Montreal for 15 days following the death of his father, Claude Fouquet, before returning to Pittsburgh Jan. 17.
"It was kind of surreal, you know?" Letang said. "I didn't know what to think or how it was going to go. These guys supported me for the last month. … It's just great to be back."

Sidney Crosby, Danton Heinen and Malkin each had a goal and two assists for the Penguins (24-15-8), who are 3-0-2 in their past five. Casey DeSmith made 33 saves in place of Tristan Jarry, who was a late scratch with an upper-body injury.
Carter Verhaeghe scored twice, Aaron Ekblad had a goal and two assists, and Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Reinhart each had a goal and an assist for the Panthers (23-21-6), who have lost two straight and three of five. Alex Lyon made 42 saves after allowing five goals on 25 shots in a 6-2 loss to the New York Rangers on Monday.
"You want it so bad for them because they have nothing left and they gave what they have to give," Florida coach Paul Maurice said. "Each guy had a piece of the game where he tried to make an impact. It's a tough way to lose a hockey game. And it's over."

Malkin gave Pittsburgh a 6-5 lead at 14:30 of the third period with a one-timer on the power play before Verhaeghe wrapped a shot inside the right post to tie it 6-6 at 17:28 with his NHL-career high 25th goal.
"I think we battled back all game," Verhaeghe said. "It was really eventful. We kind of stuck with being even-keeled the whole way, trusted the way we played. I liked the way we played. Had some unfortunate bounces."
Reinhart put the Panthers ahead 1-0 at 6:42 of the first period, using his skate to collect a pass from Ekblad for a wrist shot near the left post.
Tkachuk made it 2-0 on the power play at 8:08, tapping in a loose puck off a shot from Brandon Montour.
Rickard Rakell cut it to 2-1 at 10:56, chipping in a shot from Letang deflected by Malkin.
Heinen tied it 2-2 at 11:56 after tapping in a rebound off a one-timer from Ryan Poehling to end his 34-game goal drought.
Letang gave the Penguins a 3-2 lead at 18:14, redirecting a shot from Brian Dumoulin.
Verhaeghe tied it 3-3 at 19:19, using one hand to poke in a pass from Ekblad on a breakaway after DeSmith left the crease.
Ekblad put Florida back in front 4-3 at 10:34 of the second period with a short-handed goal on a snap shot from the right circle.

Crosby tied it 4-4 on a power play at 19:19, chipping the puck past Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling before scoring on a backhand from the slot.
"It wasn't pretty, but you need to find ways to win sometimes," Crosby said. "We did a good job of that here today."
Colin White gave Florida a 5-4 lead at 4:10 of the third period, going backhand to forehand around DeSmith's left pad.
Drew O'Connor tied it 5-5 at 10:29 on a wrist shot from the crease one second after an initial attempt hit the left post.
"It was an entertaining game, that's for sure," Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said. "I think the entertainment value was off the charts. From a coaching standpoint, we would like it to be a tighter game. I know we're capable of it."

NOTES: Letang has 31 overtime points (nine goals, 22 assists), tied with San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson (31 points; nine goals, 22 assists) for the most by a defenseman in NHL history. … Jarry continues to be evaluated, Sullivan said. He was initially named the starting goalie following the morning skate Tuesday. ... Ekblad is the first defenseman in Panthers history with multiple short-handed goals. He scored his first against the Philadelphia Flyers on March 2, 2017... Florida forward Sam Bennett did not play with a lower-body injury sustained in a 6-2 loss Monday. Maurice said he is unsure if Bennett would be able to return against the Los Angeles Kings on Friday. … Panthers goalie Spencer Knight was not "ready to go," Maurice said. No clarification was provided.