PITTSBURGH _ Sidney Crosby isn't much for tennis.
It's a shame, if you think about it, what with the world-class eye-hand coordination the man possesses. Few players are better at deflections, tipping shots or scoring goals from did-he-really-do-that angles.
With the Penguins needing to bank a win against one of the rare inferior teams on their difficult early-season schedule, Crosby began banking pucks into the back of the cage.
Crosby scored on a pair of deflections to propel the Penguins to a 4-3 victory over the Florida Panthers on Saturday at PPG Paints Arena, his second and third goals of the season.
Which one was better? That's tough. For the sake of circumstance, though, let's go with the second one.
The Penguins were nursing a 3-2 lead, one that was relatively wobbly given a second period where the Panthers out-shot the Penguins, 20-9.
Stationed to the right of Panthers goaltender James Reimer, Crosby whacked Kris Letang's delivery out of mid-air, put it off Reimer's blocker and in.
It looked like Larry Bird and Michael Jordan in their McDonald's commercial. Or Happy Gilmore playing miniature golf.
Did he really just do that?
Crosby did. And he does. Regularly. Ask Crosby, and he won't brag. But he will tell you how comfortable he feels playing around the goal line, his ability to close quickly on rebounds and swat pucks like flies on full display.
Those goals turned out to be timely on this night, too, as the Penguins weren't all there when it came to their overall team game.
Puck management was again an issue. Ditto for the number of shots on goal they allowed _ 46.
Two reasons in addition to Crosby the Penguins were able to escape with a win included a terrific performance from Murray (43 saves) and the energy and enthusiasm from Patric Hornqvist, whose goal at 13:36 of the second period made up for an otherwise unspectacular effort during the middle 20 minutes.
After Crosby's goal, Aaron Ekblad beat Murray with a shot from the right circle at 6:18 of the third period to cut the Penguins' lead back to one, but the Penguins would allow the Panthers no closer.
Good thing, too.
With an early schedule that has included games against some of the NHL's heavyweights _ Chicago, Tampa Bay and Washington _ this was a must-have.
Parts of it weren't pretty Saturday, but it'll look like a line drive in the book come March.
Florida's Jonathan Huberdeau tied the score at 1 with his goal at 5:25 of the second period. Huberdeau was afforded an absurd amount of time and space in the slot, but the most grievous act came with Evgeni Malkin's cough-up near the blue line.
A shorthanded goal pushed the Penguins back in front. Tom Kuhnhackl _ who has been excellent killing penalties _ found a seam, used his legs, and Greg McKegg finished with a backhander for his first goal as a Penguin, the marker coming at 6:40 of the second period.
Huberdeau struck again at 8:30 of the second to make it 2-2. After Keith Yandle's point shot hit Huberdeau's skate and Evgenii Dadonov quick-touched the puck, Huberdeau potted the rebound.
It really should have been 3-2 Panthers at that point, if not for a terrific defensive play earlier from Kris Letang, pulling the puck off the goal line.
That lackluster second _ Florida out-shot the Penguins, 20-9 _ nearly had the home team kicking itself after 40 minutes. Until, of course, Hornqvist did his thing.
On his third whack at a rebound, Hornqvist finally pushed the puck past Reimer for a greasy goal at 13:36. The goal was the second in three games for Hornqvist since returning from offseason hand surgery this past Wednesday in Washington.
Panthers coach Bob Boughner challenged for goaltender interference on Hornqvist's goal, the same as Sullivan did on Huberdeau's second goal. Both lost.
Ironically enough, it appeared Crosby got his second goal of the game at 16:35 of the second period, but Hornqvist was _ rightly _ whistled for goaltender interference when he crunched Reimer.
The first period figured to be pivotal in this one, and the Penguins were the better team early.
Figure, the Penguins had ceded nine first-period goals through five games, while the Panthers _ who've allowed the first goal in all four of their games _ had scored just once.
Somebody had to find success, and that somebody was Crosby. He deflected a hard shot-pass from Phil Kessel at the right of the cage, a power-play goal that gave Crosby nine goals and 17 points in his past 10 games against Florida _ now 10 and 17.
