29 Jan 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins Center Sidney Crosby (87) is waiting for a Faceoff against Utah Hockey Club during the third period in the Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Pictures Pittsburgh Penguins will return home to host Nashville Predators on Saturday night after unpacking their season-long seven-game trip with a 3-2 overtime victory in Utah.
Superstar captain Sidney Crosby scored on the 3: 54 brand at overtime when the Penguins snapped a three-game losing row. Marcus Pettersson and defender Erik Karlsson also scored for Pittsburgh, who set their longest road trip since 1997 with a 3-4-0 record.
The goal Alex Nedeljkovic made 27 rescues in the victory over the Utah Hockey Club.
Crosby, who leads Penguins with 39 assists and 55 points in 53 matches, extended their points strip to three matches (three goals, one assist).
“I think there are probably a couple of games that probably could have gone the other way for us. Probably could have got a new victory or two. But almost .500, and hopefully we can take some of the speed home,” Crosby said . “But it’s good to end the trip with a victory and a big finish here before the break.”
Nedeljkovic, Saturday’s expected starter, is 10-9-4 with a .896 Savings percentage and 3.15 goals-for average. In six career games against predators he is 3-3-0 with a .916 Savings percentage and 2.34 GAA.
Saturday will be the second and last meeting between Penguins and Predators this season.
Crosby and Bryan Rust each registered a four-point performance when Pittsburgh edged Nashville 5-4 on overtime on December 19 in the music city.
Rust made twice, including the winner 1:07 to overtime, and added two assists. Crosby had a goal and three assists, Karlsson and Rickard Rakell also scored, and Tristan Jarry scored 22 rescues.
Brady Skjei scored and set a goal and Filip Forsberg had a couple of helpers in Nashville’s loss. Luke Evangelista, Jonathan Marchesault and Steven Stamkos also scored for predators, while Juuse Saros stopped 15 shots.
Nashville enters the game after a 4-3 defeat against Buffalo Sabers on Friday night.
Skjei scored a goal and an assist, and Evangelista also counted in his return to Nashville’s range after missing a month of action due to a lower bodily injury. Tommy Novak also scored points for Predators, which has lost three straight matches.
Justus Annunen made 23 rescues in the loss.
“Type of thrown the game, made classic mistakes at the wrong times and gave them free crimes, free goals,” said Predator coach Andrew Brunette. “I thought lots of the game, especially through the other, I thought we owned the game and lost momentum on power play … was not so good in the third and made some mistakes.”
Forsberg goes all predator harvesters with 18 goals and 49 points in 50 matches this season.
Prior to Friday’s game, Predator’s goalkeeper Matt Murray from Milwaukee recalled from American Hockey League to back up Annunen. Saros was scratched due to illness.
Murray, who signed with the predators during the season, has not yet appeared with Nashville. In four careers NHL games with Dallas Stars he is 2-2-0 with a 2.53 GAA and a .885 Savings percentage.
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