Nedeljkovic stops 36 shots, Eller scores twice to help surging Penguins edge Islanders 3-1
PITTSBURGH (AP) - Alex Nedeljkovic made 36 saves, Lars Eller scored twice, and the Pittsburgh Penguins held off the New York Islanders 3-1 on Sunday night.
Nedeljkovic was spectacular at times to help the Penguins win for the fifth time in six games following a blowout loss to Toronto on Dec. 16. Eller scored early in the first period and added an empty-netter in the final minute as Pittsburgh beat the Islanders for the second time in five days. Noel Acciari added his third goal of the season for Pittsburgh.
Samuel Bolduc drew the Islanders within one with 6:09 left with the third goal of his career but New York could get no closer. Ilya Sorokin made 35 saves.
Pittsburgh has at least a point in each of its last six games and is 7-1-1 over its last nine to climb into wild-card contention as the season's midway point nears following an iffy start.
A power play that's emerged from a month-long funk has helped. So has the steady play in the net of Tristan Jarry and Nedeljkovic, who has bounced back from a bumpy year in Detroit to become a very solid 1B to Jarry's 1A.
Nedeljkovic improved to 6-2-2 in 10 games with the Penguins and was sharp from the jump as Pittsburgh won both ends of a back-to-back on the final weekend of 2023. Nedeljkovic turned away an early breakaway by Casey Cizikas and made four stops in 10 seconds during a New York power play, including a diving save on a Brock Nelson slap shot in which Nedeljkovic dove to his left and stopped the puck with his outstretched arms.
Eller, part of a bottom six that is beginning to provide some scoring help to Pittsburgh's top-heavy lineup, gave the Penguins the lead 2:18 into the game with a nice finish at the goal mouth off a set-up from Jansen Harkins.
Acciari doubled Pittsburgh's lead 3:30 into the second when Drew O'Connor hit the breaks on the rush, pirouetted at the right circle to create some space, then threw the puck toward the net, where Acciari redirected it by Sorokin.
Pittsburgh's bottom two lines have 17 goals over the last 13 games.
The Penguins played a portion of the second period without captain Sidney Crosby, who went to the trainer's room to get stitches under his left eye after inadvertently getting hit with the blade of New York center Mathew Barzal. Crosby returned late in the second period but failed to record a point to remain at 1,538 for his career, one shy of Joe Thornton for 12th on the NHL's scoring list.
UP NEXT
Islanders: Continue a four-game trip Tuesday night at Colorado.
Penguins: Finish three-game homestand Tuesday night against Washington.