Options running low as Steelers show free agency restraint

Jeremy FowlerESPN Staff Writerhttp://www.espn.com/blog/pittsburgh-steelers/March 15, 2017

Landry Jones (Getty Images)

A breakdown of the first full week of free agency for the Pittsburgh Steelers:

Most significant signing: Backup quarterback Landry Jones. Considering the Steelers' saunter through the free-agency gate, it's fitting that their biggest signing got a modest $4.4 million over two years. The team re-signed Jones and tight end David Johnson at the start of free agency and haven't done much since. But the Jones signing is important because it's a reminder that the team views him more favorably than fans clamoring for a splashy name to back up Ben Roethlisberger. The Steelers see Jones as a quality No. 2. And though they could add another quarterback through free agency and the draft, Jones' presence at least fills a need so they don't have to press for help.

Most significant loss: Linebacker Lawrence Timmons. The first draft pick of the Mike Tomlin era was a productive Steeler for 10 seasons and had a chance to return. But the Steelers weren't going to overpay for a linebacker turning 31 in May and braced for a divorce. Miami then swooped in with $11 million guaranteed over two seasons. The Steelers are betting on youth at the position with 27-year-old Vince Williams and others, but they will miss Timmons' experience and versatility. Though not the quickest linebacker in pass coverage, Timmons is a run-stopping thumper and effective blitzer who can make a few plays in zone coverage when needed.

Player they should have signed: Colts outside linebackers Jabaal Sheard or John Simon. Patriots linebacker Dont'a Hightower, who visited the Steelers on Tuesday, was a fantastic fit for this defense and a worthy replacement for Timmons. He might have been the edge this defense needed to vault from good to great. But the Steelers were never comfortable paying $10-plus million per year -- Hightower's price point for his extension with New England -- for an inside linebacker. Prices for the good cornerbacks were that steep, too. If money was the issue, why not beef up the pass rush with a more affordable option? Simon, a solid all-around player who fights through injury, will get between $5 and $6 million per year. Sheard, whose $25.5 million over three years comes with $12.75 million in guarantees, can line up at defensive end or outside linebacker in a 3-4.

What’s next: The Steelers will continue working the phones for supplemental help. Good second-tier linebackers Kevin Minter and Perry Riley are still available. Viable cornerback options are scarce, though perhaps players such as Morris Claiborne and Sterling Moore offer length and experience the Steelers covet. The signing of wide receiver Justin Hunter signing is intriguing because though he hasn't validated his billing as a former second-round pick, his speed would be a good fit for Roethlisberger in the vertical passing game and he won't cost much on a one-year deal. The Steelers have eight selections in a loaded draft, so the team will prioritize pro days from here on out.

Overall grade: C-plus. There's not much here to grade. There's still time to find help in several areas, and showing restraint this time of year isn't a bad thing. Let's not act like the Steelers have glaring needs at several positions. This roster is pretty good overall. But in the bloated salary-cap era, even teams like Pittsburgh have to spend some. Getting a solid press-man cornerback would have helped this team. Most of the good ones are signed already. Can't have enough pass-rushers and corners, as teams often say. Depth is required at these two spots.

With apologies to Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid, the Penguins' Evgeni Malkin might be the NHL MVP

By Chris Mueller

http://www.timesonline.com/sports

March 15, 2017

JEANINE LEECH/ICON SPORTSWIRE

Sidney Crosby sure has had one heck of a year, hasn’t he? He has spent much of the year playing at an elite level not seen since the infamous 2011 Winter Classic. There have been plenty of conversations about whether this is the best he has been since his concussion issues. The talk is understandable. Sid looks plenty motivated in his quest to fend off Connor McDavid as the face of the sport.

McDavid, for his part, is proving a worthy adversary, leading the NHL in points and regularly displaying the kind of speed, skill, and overall talent that drew comparisons to Crosby. At barely 20 years old, he is the unquestioned future of the sport.

Do you remember Evgeni Malkin? With so much chatter centering on Crosby and McDavid, it has been easy to forget Malkin, the man almost always in the shadow of Crosby, or of his countryman, Alex Ovechkin.

In case you haven’t noticed, Malkin might well be on track to take home his second Hart Trophy as league MVP. He has been that good, and then some. At worst, he has been co-MVP of the Penguins alongside Crosby, and his points per game average of 1.18 is second only to Crosby’s 1.19. That could change, of course, if Geno puts up a few points tonight against Philadelphia.

While Crosby is deservedly getting heaps of credit for working his usual magic with a pair of non-household name linemates in Conor Sheary and Jake Guentzel, Malkin has been productive no matter who has played on his wings.

Getting supposed role-players (a term that is probably a disservice to Sheary and Guentzel, at this point) to produce at a higher level makes for a nice story, and furthers Sid’s reputation as a guy that makes everyone around him better, but putting up big numbers with high-profile guys is important, too. Malkin has produced big results whenever he has been paired with Patric Hornqvist and Phil Kessel.

Stats tell a lot of the story with Malkin, but the most compelling evidence that his season has eclipsed the work done by Crosby and McDavid comes via the eye test. Malkin, since returning from injury on Valentine’s Day, has simply looked like a beast on the ice. No one in the league, including Crosby, McDavid and Ovechkin, makes dominance look as easy or as effortless as Malkin does when he’s on a tear.

He has been flying all over the ice, playing motivated defense — sometimes too motivated, like when he laid out to block a shot against Calgary and got up slowly — and generally wreaked havoc almost every shift. Crosby is still the best player on the planet because he is able to bring his “A” game on such a consistent basis, but I’ll take Malkin’s absolute best over everyone else’s.

The Penguins appear to be getting just that from him right now. And since he seems relatively healthy, there is every reason to believe he’s ramping his game up at the right time. He even was willing to engage in the most needlessly risky of NHL traditions, the fight, to put to bed his “issue” with Winnipeg’s Blake Wheeler.

Malkin likely earned a great deal of respect from teammates and opponents for handling his business himself, no matter how dangerous it was, but he likely ingratiated himself to his fellow Penguins a whole lot more by turning the fight into a Gordie Howe hat trick and knocking out the Jets to the tune of two goals and an assist.

It seems like he’s matured as a leader, not falling victim as readily to the agitating tactics that took him out of his game in prior seasons, and instead morphing into a guy that thrives with a bit of a chip on his shoulder. Couple that with the fact that he seems as good as he’s ever been physically, and you have a truly terrifying force for the rest of the league to try and contend with.

Assuming Kris Letang and Hornqvist are healthy, this version of Malkin, mixed in with Crosby’s steady brilliance and Kessel’s sniper scoring, makes the Penguins a solid bet to repeat as champions.

As for that Hart Trophy? Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid have had superb seasons, but for me, the choice is clear: Evgeni Malkin, the man toiling brilliantly on the edge of the spotlight, is the NHL's MVP.

Free agency has started and all I got was this lousy column

By Dale Lolley

http://www.observer-reporter.com/

March 12, 2017

Larence Timmons (James Lang-USA TODAY Sports)

It would make a great T-shirt or bumper sticker slogan for Steelers fans: “Free agency has started and all I got was a backup tight end.”

Or a backup quarterback.

Or a long snapper.

You’d think Steelers fans would be accustomed to the way the team does business by now. But no. Each year, as team after team spends millions on what is typically a misguided attempt to upgrade its roster and overcome poor drafting, Steelers fans gnash their teeth about every move.

And yet, all the Steelers have done in the free agency era, which began in 1993 – my first year covering the team - is have just four losing seasons in that time, make four trips to the Super Bowl and win twice.

That tells me they might be approaching things the right way.

So what is the Steelers’ way?

They identify the players on their own roster they’d like to retain and they make every effort to do so. Typically, they do so.

That doesn’t mean they always get it right. But more often than not, injuries have played a factor - Ike Taylor, LaMarr Woodley.

But you always know your own guys better than those from the outside. And they don’t have to learn a new system, scheme or vernacular.

The Steelers also are very cognizant of not upsetting the structure of their locker room. And by that, I mean pay structure.

For example, they’re not going to jump into the free agent market and pay a defensive player more than current defensive leader Cam Heyward. It upsets the apple cart in the locker room.

They’ll sign guys for the amount they have slotted and not a penny more. Typically, that means waiting for the market to settle a little before they dig in.

So complain about it all you like. But it’s been that way for 25 years and likely will be so for the next 25.

We should be reaching that market settling point early this week.

The Steelers had wanted to add a cornerback in free agency, but considering the going rate was around $10 million per year for average starters, that wasn’t going to happen.

After the opening flurry that has seen A.J. Buye, Logan Ryan, Stephon Gilmore, Prince Amukamara and Dre Kirkpatrick all sign deals for $10-plus million per year, the market should start to come down a little.

But who’s left at the position that’s any good or isn’t over the hill?

Not much.

Morris Claiborne of Dallas is probably the best still available who, at 27, might have some long-term upside. But he was a player who the Cowboys were looking to dump just a couple of years ago before he finally started to play well. But he’s also been injury-prone. He hasn’t played in more than 11 games in each of the past four seasons.

No thanks.

After Clairbone, you’re looking at a lot of guys in their 30s who will be better served retiring than signing another contract.

The Steelers have around $8 million in “mad money” that they can spend on free agents.

But they might want to spend some of that money elsewhere, such as on an experienced backup safety – Lardarius Webb or Jarius Byrd – or inside linebacker – Kevin Minter or Sean Spence – now that Lawrence Timmons has moved on.

Speaking of Timmons, Miami’s decision to guarantee him $11 million of his 2-year, $12-million deal pretty much meant he was out the door.

The Steelers still wanted Timmons back. And $6 million per season wouldn’t have been all that bad.

But guaranteeing that money to a linebacker who will be 31? That wasn’t in the cards.

Plus, the Steelers have Vince Williams waiting in the wings. Williams will bring a physical presence to Pittsburgh’s defense as a hitter.

Where the Steelers will miss Timmons is as a leader - though he was a quiet leader - and in terms of their depth.

Given Ryan Shazier’s injury history - he’s missed seven games the past two seasons since becoming a full-time starter - it would be nice to have an experienced backup there.

The team still has Steven Johnson, L.J. Fort and Tyler Matakevich behind Williams and Shazier, and they have some talent, but another experienced player there might not be a bad thing.

Markus Wheaton got a two-year, $11-million with $5 million guaranteed to sign with Chicago.

I like Wheaton and he’s a nice complimentary receiver. But $5.5 million per season?

The Steelers will reap the benefits of that contract and the one signed by Timmons next season in compensatory picks.

Mike Sullivan could be introduced to Jack Adams at season's end

By Brian Metzer

http://www.timesonline.com/sports/

March 12. 2017

Each year, the Jack Adams Award is given to the NHL coach “adjudged to have contributed the most to his team’s success.” The winner is selected via a poll of the members of the NHL Broadcasters Association at the end of the regular season, but that step doesn’t seem necessary this year.

Let’s just skip all of that pomp and circumstance -- the award has to go to Penguins’ coach Mike Sullivan, right?

How can any of the other 29 men that hold his position around the league step ahead of him after the job that he’s done this season? He’s proven to be one of the best managers of ego in the league; that’s shown in how he’s handled his superstars and goaltenders.

He’s also shown an innate ability to keep his eye on the right ball, to use one of his own comments.

When a guy needs to get going, he doesn’t call him out in the media or in front of teammates. He pulls him aside on the ice before, during or following practice, as he recently did with Nick Bonino.

Bonino responded with four goals and six points over a five-game span.

He’s also been able to get results no matter who is in his lineup. That alone elevates him above his peers.

The coach who used the words “just play” to lead his team to the Stanley Cup a season ago, is applying them again, but differently. The mantra kept his team away from post-whistle shenanigans then, but now is used to keep the team playing its system, regardless of personnel.

Sullivan's team has been decimated by injuries. One player returns, another has to leave, but the wins continue to mount. Even without seven regulars now out of the lineup.

Injuries to Patric Hornqvist (concussion), Matt Cullen (lower-body) and Carl Hagelin (lower-body) have all been named over the past three days. Hagelin is set to miss the next four weeks at minimum.

That trio joins Kris Letang (upper-body), Trevor Daley (knee surgery), Olli Maatta (left hand surgery) and Bryan Rust (upper-body) on the shelf.

These injuries have forced Wilkes-Barre/Scranton mainstays Carter Rowney, Oskar Sundqvist, and Cameron Gaunce into the lineup. Sullivan was forced to dress seven defensemen in the Penguins’ 3-0 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday.

Even after all of those maladies, Sullivan’s Penguins have won five straight games to tie their second-longest streak of the season. That run has them within one point of the Metropolitan Division and NHL leading Washington Capitals in the standings.

Yes, the same Capitals who were anointed Stanley Cup favorites by just about every hockey pundit around North America after they acquired defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk ahead of the trade deadline. The expert opinion was that the high-flying team would be unbeatable with its new addition, though they have yet to play a postseason game and are riding a three-game losing streak.

I guess that’s why championships -- and the top regular-season record -- are earned, not appointed.

This isn’t the first time Sullivan has had to deal with significant losses to his lineup.

He started the season without both Sidney Crosby and Matt Murray. Both players were and are among the most important on his roster.

He led his team to a 3-2-1 record without Crosby and he saw Marc-Andre Fleury backstop them to a 6-3-1 record without Murray.

Sullivan has also been forced into lineups without Evgeni Malkin, Conor Sheary and Justin Schultz. Overall, players have missed a combined 178 games with injuries this season, 104 combined over the past 31 games.

How’d Sullivan do over that grueling span? He’s guided his team to a 20-8-3 record and he did it without some of the most talented and productive players in the league.

The impressive thing about all of the roster juggling is that Sullivan continues to find ways to put the players who are healthy in positions to succeed. He’s elevated guys like Jake Guentzel and watched him score 10 goals and 19 points in 30 games. His deployment of Chad Ruhwedel has him poised to become an NHL regular after years of waiting for another opportunity to climb out of the AHL and he’s gotten meaningful minutes out of guys like Gaunce, Sundqvist and Josh Archibald.

Yes, other coaches around the league are doing great things. Guys like Todd McLellan in Edmonton, Mike Babcock in Toronto and Glen Gulutzen in Calgary are overachieving with young teams, while others are thriving with a big assist from their general managers.

Bruce Boudreau is pressing lots of correct buttons in Minnesota with the Wild, but his team is largely the one he started with, aside from the additions of Martin Hanzal and Ryan White at the trade deadline. General manager Chuck Fletcher is a big credit for that.

John Tortorella has gotten amazing results in Columbus with the Blue Jackets -- including the 16-game win streak in the middle of the season -- but they are reaping the rewards of a talented roster built by general manager Jarmo Kekalainen.

No coach has dealt with the adversity and loss of star power that Sullivan has had to face this season and that jumps him to the front of the line for the Jack Adams Award. That will still be the case even if he doesn’t finish atop the Metropolitan Division, but something tells me that his guys will ‘keep their eye on the right ball’ and ‘just play’ themselves past the Capitals.

Murray makes 27 saves, Penguins beat Canucks 3-0

Associated Press

http://www.espn.com/nhl/

March 12, 2017

Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Matt Murray (30) stops a shot from Vancouver Canucks center Henrik Sedin (33) as Penguins left wing Chris Kunitz (14) watches during the third period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, March 11, 2017, in Vancouver, British Columbia. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP)

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- The Pittsburgh Penguins had too much firepower for Vancouver on Saturday night, even with an outstanding performance from Canucks goalie Ryan Miller.

Matt Murray made 27 saves and Pittsburgh pelted Miller with 47 shots on goal, helping the Penguins beat the Canucks 3-0.

Jake Guentzel, Ian Cole and Conor Sheary scored for the Penguins, who have won five straight, including a 3-2 shootout win on Friday in Edmonton. They are in sole possession of second place in the Metropolitan Division ahead of Columbus.

The Canucks took another hit to their already bleak playoff outlook. With St. Louis beating the New York Islanders 4-3 earlier Saturday, the Canucks are 10 points back for the second wild card in the Western Conference.

Miller made a season-high 45 saves.

"Ryan Miller played fantastic tonight," Cole said. "You see how dominant of a goaltender he can be. We had a ton of chances and sooner or later those are going to go in eventually. We had to keep making it hard on him, which we did."

Miller shrugged off any frustration about losing despite a solid performance.

"It's hockey. Sometimes you play well enough to win and you don't get it. You have to kind of accept that's part of it," Miller said. "You try your best whenever you are on the ice and continue to battle and see what can happen. It was a 1-0 game. It could have turned at any point."

About eight minutes into the game, the Canucks looked to have scored first, with Daniel Sedin's corner shot along the goal line ricocheting in off Michael Chaput's skate. However, it was called off on goaltender interference following a coach's challenge.

"I was yelling even before they showed the replay to challenge just because the guy coming from the backside, takes my foot out from underneath me," Murray said. "It's subtle, but that's the rule, you can't nudge the goalie because that completely throws you off and gives you no chance to make the save, so I was 100 percent confident."

Miller was tremendous in the second period. He made a big save on Sheary from about six feet away on a delayed penalty call to the Canucks. On the ensuring power play, he stoned Phil Kessel while flat on his stomach and then stopped Sheary again off a 2-on-1 late in the period.

However, the Penguins did break through with 3:36 left in the second, as Cole's hard wrist shot near the blue line cleared traffic to beat Miller, who was being screened by Oskar Sundqvist. The shot clock tilted 35-19 in Pittsburgh's favor after two.

The Canucks had their second disallowed goal of the night early in the third when Sven Baertschi swatted in a puck while on the power play but had his stick deemed too high, much to the crowd's chagrin.

At the other end, Murray robbed Henrik Sedin on a point-blank shot from the slot to preserve Pittsburgh's lead in the third.

Miller made dazzling saves onSidney Crosby and Chris Kunitz before Guentzel scored on a beautiful pass from behind the net from Sheary to give Pittsburgh some insurance with just over two minutes left.

Game notes
Chris Tanev and Markus Granlund missed the game with food poisoning, bringing D Alex Biega onto the fourth line and opening a slot for Philip Larsen. ... The Canucks recalled Fs Alex Grenier and Joseph Labate from the AHL with Brendan Gaunce (upper body) and Nikolay Goldobin (flu) out.

UP NEXT

Penguins: Travel to Calgary to play Monday night.

Canucks: Host Boston on Monday night.

Oilers-Penguins extravaganza shows big-game NHL hockey is back in Edmonton

By Terry Jones
http://edmontonjournal.com/sports/
March 11, 2017



Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers pursues Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins on March 10, 2017, at Rogers Place in Edmonton. CODIE MCLACHLAN / GETTY IMAGES

It was arguably a game with more sizzle involved than any game in Edmonton since June 17, 2006.

It was most certainly the kind of night you’ve been waiting an entire decade to experience.

When Edmonton fans entered Rogers Place Friday evening, it was prime time in an NHL hockey season for the first time since that 2006 Stanley Cup final.

It was a smorgasbord of delicious scenarios.

It was the defending Stanley Cup champions in a battle with Washington, Columbus and the New York Rangers for position in the Metropolitan Division.

You wanted meaningful hockey on March 10?

The night before, Anaheim, Calgary, Los Angeles and San Jose had all won. The Ducks moved two points up on the Oilers for second place in the Pacific, the Flames moved into a tie with Edmonton for third.

There was no longer any dodging it for Todd McLellan’s hockey team. It was now prime time – time for desperation hockey and time to answer the question: ‘What are you made of?’

It was the first time that Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid would play a game against each other in Edmonton.

There was the scoring race with the youngest captain in the history of the NHL, McDavid, going into the game with 74 points and the Penguins’ Crosby and Evgeny Malkin tied at 70 along with Brent Burns, Patrick Kane and Brad Marchand.

With 15 games to go in a season, how does a scoring race for the Art Ross Trophy get any better than that?

While no Oilers are involved, there was also the goal scoring race for the Rocket Richard Trophy with Crosby going into the game with 34, Patrik Laine and Marchand at 32, Malkin, Auston Matthews, Max Pacioretty at 31, three others at 30, two more at 29, three more at 28 and five at 27.

And, there was also the Hart Trophy. Would voters give it to McDavid if he could lead the Oilers to a playoff spot, particularly if it were one opening at home, after finishing 28th last year?

Game 67 for the Oilers and Game No. 999 this NHL season wasn’t going to decide any of that. But you had to play it like it might.

It didn’t just set up as a big game for the Oilers, but for their fans as well. If there was any question how the fans would be in the new arena when it came to a playoff game, we were likely to find out during a game that set-up like this one. Would they bring it?

You could feel the excitement and taste the apprehension in the building before the game. And the fans, with a little help from the scoreboard, brought it for the first minute. It wasn’t 2006 all over again. But there was a buzz that never left the building and it built and built and built. By the third period, there was incredible energy in the building.

On the ice, the action was palpitating from one end to the other, for openers. And about three minutes in Oilers radio play-by-play man Jack Michaels, who sits about 10 feet from me in the press box, enthused, “Is this any good?”

It was Crosby vs. McDavid at the opening faceoff, and it stayed that way much of the night but not the entire evening.

McDavid scored first. Unfortunately, it was into his own net. No. 97 saw the puck sitting in the Oilers goal crease and kicked it out. Right into the pads of goaltender Cam Talbot. And into the net.

Malkin was given credit for the goal.

Pittsburgh had a chance to make a route of it with a power play early in the second, but the Oilers penalty kill did the job and the team began the battle back.

And it turned into a great game again with great plays and great saves galore.

Midway in the second period, Jordan Eberle drew a penalty and McDavid tied it up at 12:45 on the power play with his 23rd of the year.

The final 10 minutes of regulation was absolutely frantic.

The three-on-three overtime was even more incredible, especially when Leon Draisaitl sent McDavid in alone on a breakaway.

It was an excruciatingly exciting game, the best by far in this building and in this town for ages.

The fans stood for the entire shootout, where both Crosby and McDavid scored. Phil Kessel gave the Penquins a 3-2 win.

If this was McDavid vs. Crosby, McDavid won it big time. He was easily the most valuable and most outstanding of the two on the ice this night and probably in the entire league. Talbot, playing his 60th game of the season, was wonderful as well. And Malkin ranked right up there for Pittsburgh.

But the winner this night was hockey in Edmonton.

It’s been a long, long time.

Email: tjones@postmedia.com

On Twitter: @sunterryjones

Phil Kessel scores SO winner, Penguins beat Oilers 3-2

Associated Press

http://www.espn.com/nhl/

March 11, 2017

Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury (29) makes a save on Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid (97) during the third period of an NHL hockey game Friday, March 10, 2017, in Edmonton, Alberta. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

EDMONTON, Alberta -- Connor McDavid stretched his lead atop the NHL scoring race.

However Sidney Crosby's Pittsburgh Penguins got the even more important two points for the win on Friday night.

Phil Kessel scored the shootout winner and the Penguins came away with a 3-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers.

McDavid had a goal in regulation to move him to 75 points on the season while Crosby was held off the scoresheet, and is five points back of the Oilers phenom.

Both players notched goals in the shootout.

McDavid said he still gets a charge out of playing one of his childhood idols in Crosby.

"To say it's a normal game would be lying," he said. "Obviously, he's someone I've looked up to my whole life. To play against him is fun. It was probably to my advantage, it's easier for me to get up to play against him than it is for him to get up to play against me."

Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said it was a pleasure to watch all the high-end talent on display.

"It was a pretty fast-paced game and those guys (Crosby, McDavid) are elite players," he said. "It was certainly one of the faster-paced games that we've played in."

Nick Bonino and Evgeni Malkin scored in regulation for the Penguins, who have won four games in a row.

Crosby said the player most deserving of credit on the night was goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, who made 40 saves.

"It was one after another as far as some of the saves he made," he said. "He was incredible tonight. You can tell when he's got that mindset and he's having fun.

"We made it tough on him, but he was great."

David Desharnais also scored for the Oilers, who have lost two straight.

Pittsburgh scored the game's first goal six minutes into the opening period as Oilers goalie Cam Talbot was down on a rebound, allowing Scott Wilson to pass it in front and give Bonino an easy goal.

The Penguins went up 2-0 at 17:25 of the first as a shot got behind Talbot and was rolling slowly into the net before McDavid tried to kick the puck to safety, only to have it hit Talbot's pads and go in. Malkin was credited with the goal.

"Kind of a funny play, we'll be seeing that for a while on the bloopers for sure," McDavid said.

Edmonton cut into the lead five minutes into the second period as Desharnais poked a loose puck under Fleury for his first goal with the Oilers.

The Oilers tied the game 13 minutes into the third period as McDavid made no mistake on a rebound opportunity, scoring his 23rd goal of the season and 75th point.

Kessel had a breakaway late in the third, but was stopped by Talbot, who made his 60th start of the season.

Both teams had great chances in overtime, particularly on huge saves by Fleury on McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, but the game went to the shootout.

"Happy to get a point, I guess, against a very good hockey team," Talbot said. "We wanted the extra point, but we'll take one after having to battle back."

Game notes
It was the second and final meeting of the season between the teams, with the Pens coming away with a 4-3 win in Pittsburgh in November in the first contest. ... Pittsburgh forward Tom Sestito served the first game of a four-game suspension for boarding Winnipeg defenseman Toby Enstrom.

UP NEXT

Penguins: At Vancouver on Saturday night.

Oilers: Host Montreal on Sunday night.