Anthony Mantha, Penguins flatten banged-up Hurricanes
Anthony Mantha scored twice for the first time this season to lead the Pittsburgh Penguins, who routed the visiting Carolina Hurricanes 5-1 on Tuesday.
Mantha's goals, which give him 14 for the season, extended the winger's goal-scoring streak to three games. Justin Brazeau, coming off a hat trick against Chicago on Sunday, and Tommy Novak both added a goal and an assist. Sidney Crosby also notched his team-leading 21st goal as Pittsburgh has claimed two straight for the first time since Dec. 1-4.
Bryan Rust and Erik Karlsson assisted on a pair apiece.
Stuart Skinner stopped 27 shots to get his first victory as a Penguin since being traded from Edmonton on Dec. 12.
Mark Jankowski scored for the second time this season for Carolina, which saw its two-game winning streak snapped.
Frederik Andersen gave up five goals for the second straight game and third time this season. He made 23 saves but lost for the eighth straight start. The veteran netminder is 0-6-2 since Nov. 11.
Playing on home ice against a banged-up opponent on its second game in as many days, the Penguins pounced on the Hurricanes early and took advantage of a couple Carolina miscues in doing so.
Crosby gave the Penguins a 1-0 lead 3:46 into the contest after K'Andre Miller's pass from behind the goal line hit off the back of the net. That allowed Rust to get a takeaway, and Rickard Rakell's circle-to-circle pass gave the Penguins' captain a clear shot from the right side.
Pittsburgh added two more in the span of 1:05 toward the end of the opening period. Brent Kulak sprung Brazeau for a breakaway, with the forward scoring while going to the ice at 16:07. Then, after a Miller penalty, Mantha put in a rebound from the slot to cash in on the power play.
Novak added on to the lead with 4:52 left in the second. Three minutes later, Mantha finished the Penguins' scoring in the slot by redirecting a pass from Brazeau past Andersen.
Carolina was without defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, who leads the team in assists with 25, for the second straight night due to a groin injury. The Hurricanes also had Seth Jarvis miss his fifth game with an upper-body issue. Jarvis and Gostisbehere are tied for second on the Hurricanes with 29 points.