Maatta's Third-Period Goal Leads Penguins Past Maple Leafs
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PITTSBURGH (AP) - Olli Maatta scored the tiebreaking goal in the third period to lead the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 5-3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night.
Evgeni Malkin had a goal and two assists to top 900 points for his career, becoming the sixth Russian-born and the fourth player in team history to reach the milestone. Malkin has 19 goals and 33 points in his last 20 games.
Bryan Rust, Zach Aston-Reese and Carl Hagelin also scored for the Penguins, who have won 11 straight at home and four in a row overall. Pittsburgh's home streak is its longest since a franchise-record 13-game run during the 2013-14 season, and dates back to a 4-0 loss against Carolina on Jan. 4.
Matt Murray made 29 saves for the win, extending his streak without a regulation loss to nine decisions. He also tied Jean-Sebastien Aubin for fifth on the team's all-time wins list with 63.
Maatta gave Pittsburgh a 4-3 lead at 7:56 of the third with a slap shot that beat Toronto goalie Frederik Andersen to the blocker side.
Rust sealed the win with his ninth with 3 1/2 minutes remaining to give the Penguisn their ninth win in the last 11.
Patrick Marleau, Connor Brown and Tyler Bozak scored for the Maple Leafs, who snapped a season-high six-game winning streak and lost for just the second time in 11 games. Andersen finished with 34 saves.
Hagelin scored the game's first goal on a re-directed pass off the rush for his seventh 3 1/2 minutes in, and Brown tied it when he beat Murray to the blocker side with a one-timer for his 13th a little more than three minutes later.
Bozak gave Toronto the lead with his ninth midway through the period when he converted a rebound from the top of the crease and Malkin tied it 1:11 later with his 33rd of the season and point No. 900.
Aston-Reese put Pittsburgh in front at 5:21 of the second period when he settled a rebound in front and pushed it past Andersen's outstretched left pad for his third goal in three games.
Marleau tied it 3-3 with a power-play goal from between the circles for his 20th with 4:14 remaining in the second.
NOTES: Toronto's Zach Hyman left midway through the third period after Maatta pushed him into the end boards. ... The Penguins' home win streak is tied for the third-longest in team history. ... Malkin has a point in seven straight home games. ... Penguins C Sidney Crosby's 10-game home point streak ended. ... Pittsburgh D Justin Schultz missed Saturday's game because of illness. Matt Hunwick took Schultz's spot after missing the previous nine games. ... Penguins F Patric Hornqvist missed his seventh straight game with a lower-body injury. ... Penguins F Jake Guentzel played in his 100th NHL game.
UP NEXT
Maple Leafs: At Detroit on Sunday.
Penguins: At Columbus on Sunday to open a three-game road trip.
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