PITTSBURGH: The NHL’s hottest team keeps finding ways to win. Tyler Kennedy scored 2:33 into overtime as the Pittsburgh Penguins extended their winning streak to 12 games with a 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday night.
Sidney Crosby equalized late in regulation with a 5-on-3 power play goal and Kennedy won it with his fifth goal of the season, a wrist shot from the left circle.
“I think we’re a pretty confident team right now,” Kennedy said. “I think we know if we stay on the plan and do all the little things we can be successful.”
Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 27 shots for Pittsburgh, which remained unbeaten in March. The Penguins played without injured defenseman Kris Letang and reigning league MVP Evgeni Malkin, who remains sidelined with an upper body injury.
Malkin could be back by the end of the week and he’ll find a new face on the second line he shares with James Neal. Pittsburgh traded away promising defenseman prospect Joe Morrow early Sunday evening for Dallas Stars captain Brenden Morrow, hoping the veteran forward will give the Penguins some added punch in the playoffs.
“I think we all pride ourselves in playing a certain way and I think he fits right into that mold,” said Crosby, who played with Morrow for Canada in the 2010 Winter Olympics. “I think he’s going to add to those things and add to what we have here. It’s a great acquisition and we’re pretty excited.”
The Capitals beat the Rangers 3-2 at New York, with Braden Holtby making 30 saves in regulation and overtime and stopping three of four Rangers in the shootout.
Arron Asham and Derek Stepan had New York’s goals in regulation and Henrik Lundqvist stopped 22 shots.
Alex Ovechkin scored in the second round of the shootout, only to see Derek Stepan tally for New York to knot it at 1-1 after three rounds.
After Holtby denied Brad Richards, Nicklas Backstrom beat Lundqvist to decide the contest in the fourth round.
Detroit beat the Ducks on the road for the second time three days, scoring a 2-1 win at Anaheim.
The Ducks, who trail idle Chicago by three points for the NHL’s best record, have dropped consecutive games in regulation for the first time this season.
In other games, the Canucks had a 3-2 win over the Avalanche to take sole possession of first place in the Northwest division, the Islanders beat the Panthers 3-0 at Uniondale, the Flames beat the Blues 3-2 at Calgary and the Jets had a 3-2 win over the Lightning at Winnipeg.
The Lightning fired coach Guy Boucher earlier in the day and assistants Martin Raymond and Dan Lacroix shared coaching duties against the Jets.
Kennedy scores in overtime as Penguins top Flyers 2-1
