Sidney Crosby's heroics, solid goaltending,and more: 3 reasons why Pittsburgh Penguins won 2-1 in OT against Anaheim Ducks

The Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Anaheim Ducks 2-1 in a spirited overtime affair at the PPG Paints Arena on Thursday night. Penguins captain Sidney Crosby led the way with two goals, including the game-winner in overtime at 2:35.

Alex Killorn got his second of the season for the Anaheim Ducks to open the scoring in the first period.

So, let’s take a look at the three reasons why the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday night.

3 reasons why Pittsburgh Penguins beat Anaheim Ducks

#3. The Pittsburgh Penguins showed resilience

The Pittsburgh Penguins ran into the red-hot Lukas Dostal. Dostal has been terrorizing the league this season, seemingly stopping everyone the Ducks play.

Thursday night was no exception. Dostal made 44 saves to keep the Ducks in the game. The Ducks clung to a 1-0 lead after Killorn scored at 15:50 of the first.

However, the Penguins didn’t give up. They continued to pour on the pressure as the Ducks barricaded themselves in front of their net. Crosby eventually broke through, netting the equalizer early in the third.

Dostal continued to stop the Penguins, but couldn’t hold the fort forever, eventually giving up the game-winning goal to Crosby. Kudos to the Pens for persisting despite facing a tough goaltender.

#2. The Pens got a solid performance from Nedeljkovic

While Dostal was brilliant for the Ducks, the Penguins got a solid performance from Alex Nedeljkovic. All told, Nedeljkovic stopped 22 Anaheim shots. Most importantly, he kept the Pens in the game as they tried to come back and tie it up.

Granted, Nedeljkovic wasn’t overly tested in the game. But he made the saves he had to, giving his team the confidence to keep the pressure on.

Overall, Nedeljkovic gave the Pens a solid outing amid concerns and questions about the Penguins’ goaltending situation. For his efforts, Nedeljkovic received the game’s second star.

#1. Crosby cashes in on a huge mistake

Leave it to Sidney Crosby to make a team pay for their mistakes. In overtime, Crosby wrestled the puck away from the Ducks’ Cutter Gauthier at the Anaheim blue line, skated on a short breakaway, and deked Dostal before burying the game-winner.

Even at 37, there’s no sign that Crosby is slowing down. His overtime winner is proof that Crosby is still as lethal today as he’s always been. For Crosby, his third of the season was a beauty that helped the Penguins get back on track, improving their record to 4-7-1.

The Penguins will have an off-day Friday before taking on the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night.