Penguins rally after allowing big Flyers lead; Malkin scores winner in OT

Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic has a pretty predictable pattern.

In the event of a loss, he blames himself.

In the event of a win, he credits his teammates.

That approach has made him one of the most popular individuals in the team’s dressing room.

“We know how hard he competes and wants to get better out there,” Penguins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk said in Cranberry on Wednesday. “He cares. He’s a heart-and-soul guy.”

That postulate was verified in an emphatically vivid fashion Thursday during a 5-4 overtime win against the rival Philadelphia Flyers.

After allowing three goals on 14 shots, Nedeljkovic was pulled from the game after only 27:24 of ice time. In reaction, he slammed his stick off the cage and slammed the door to his team’s bench while yelling at those inhabiting the bench.

His display was followed by a rousing comeback by the Penguins who outscored the Flyers, 5-1, during the remainder of the contest to claim one of their more invigorating victories of a mostly ramshackle season while snapping a four-game losing streak (0-4-0)

Rookie Joel Blomqvist, who replaced Nedeljkovic, was credited with the win, improving his record to 4-9-0. He unofficially finished the contest with 21 saves on 22 shots.

A goal by forward Evgeni Malkin 73 seconds into the overtime period was the difference.

As has become a far too common occurrence this season, the Penguins allowed a goal on the first shot they’ve faced when Flyers forward Noah Cates scored his 13th goal of the season exactly two minutes into regulation.

That was followed by Flyers forward Owen Tippett’s 18th goal, which caromed into the net off of the left skate of Penguins defenseman Ryan Shea.

After a would-be goal by Flyers forward Andrei Kuzmenko was waved off for a high stick at 6:11 of the second, Matvei Michkov scored a valid goal at the 7:24 mark.

Settling a puck at the center point of the offensive zone, Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen directed a half-slapper toward the cage. As Penguins defenseman Ryan Graves shoved Flyers forward Sean Couturier into Nedeljkovic, the puck hit off the end boards and deflected to the left of the crease. Michkov claimed it and tucked in a backhander by the right leg of a scrambling Nedeljkovic, who yielded the cage to Blomqvist.

After Nedeljkovic’s departure, Penguins forward Philip Tomasino got the hosts on the scoreboard with his ninth goal at 9:05 of the second.

The Penguins struck again only 30 seconds later when defenseman Erik Karlsson collected his seventh goal.

Things got ugly at 10:15 of the second period when Penguins forward Boko Imama struck Flyers forward Garnet Hathaway from the side in the neutral zone. Hathaway appeared to be unconscious after the collision but eventually made his way to the visiting dressing room with assistance from teammates and Flyers staffers. There was no immediate word on his status. Imama received a minor penalty for interference for the hit.

On the ensuing power-play opportunity, Michkov scored again with a wrister from the left circle.

The Penguins persisted and pulled within a single score again via another goal from Karlsson, who fired a wrister from the right circle.

Malkin tied the score with his 11th goal 2:30 into the third period, beating Flyers goaltender Samuel Ersson’s glove from the left circle.