Desperate Pens Win A Close One

A little desperation did wonders for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Coming off what may have been their worst game of the season, the Pittsburgh Penguins evened the Eastern Conference finals by beating the Florida Panthers 2-1 Sunday on Bryan Smolinski’s goal with 3:31 left.

“We were like a desperate team,” Penguins captain Mario Lemieux said. “We didn’t want to go back home down 3-1. Maybe we should be desperate more often.”

The best-of-7 series, tied 2-2, resumes Tuesday night in Pittsburgh.

Florida claimed the winning goal should have been discounted because Smolinski had plowed through defenseman Gord Murphy to get to the net.

“He got knocked over,” said an angry Florida coach Doug MacLean. “He got knocked off his feet and it was a tip-in goal. It was more than a pick, it was pretty obvious.”

Brad Lauer had tied the score for Pittsburgh at 8:57 of the third period. Dave Lowry had put Florida ahead at 12:50 of the second with his team-leading 10th playoff goal.

Florida fans had few opportunities to practice their new tradition of throwing plastic rats after every Panthers goal. Instead, Penguins goaltender Tom Barrasso made 32 saves - many from close range - and only once had to take refuge from flying rats inside the net.

Florida had a final power play after Glen Murray was sent off for tripping at 17:28 of the third. The Panthers pulled goaltender John Vanbiesbrouck with 1:20 left but their power play was ineffective.

The Panthers’ best chance came with Martin Straka’s backhand in the crease, but it was stopped by Barrasso.

The Panthers beat the Penguins 5-2 Friday night, getting a team-record 61 shots on goal in what Johnston called an embarrassment.

Frustrated with only three shots on goal all night, Lemieux set up the winner.

Lemieux skated down ice, beat Lowry and shot. Vanbiesbrouck blocked the puck, but he was left out of position.

Smolinski took the rebound and scored his fifth goal of the playoffs. The assist was Lemieux’s 23rd point of the playoffs, leaving him second in scoring behind Colorado’s Joe Sakic.

Penguins 2, Panthers 1

Pittsburgh 0 0 2 - 2

Florida 0 1 0 - 1

First period-No scoring.

Second period-1, Florida, Lowry 10 (Carkner, Sheppard), 12:50.

Third period-2, Pittsburgh, Lauer 1 (Nedved, Tamer), 8:57. 3, Pittsburgh, Smolinski 5 (Lemieux, Zubov), 16:29.

Shots on goal-Pittsburgh 8-5-11-24. Florida 10-16-7-33.Power-play opp.-Pittsburgh 0 of 2; Florida 0 of 4.Goalies-Pittsburgh, Barrasso 3-3 (33 shots-32 saves). Florida, Vanbiesbrouck 10-5 (24-22).A-14,703 (14,703).