Staal, Liles lift Hurricanes over struggling Penguins 2-1

Murray was the AHL’s top goaltender during the 2014-15 season and got the start after Jeff Zatkoff allowed eight goals on 62 shots in back-to-back losses against Boston, the first time he started consecutive games.

The Carolina Hurricanes scored two powerplay goals and Cam Ward made 37 saves as the Canes defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins, 2-1 on Saturday night at Consol Energy Center. Less than two minutes after Conor Sheary (1) scored his first goal of his career, Boston’s Frank Vatrano (3) tied the game up where it would stay until the second period. He has replaced Hayes on the second unit as the net-front presence, though he still only has 12 minutes and 53 seconds of total power play time this season.

“It’s the first time I’ve done that”, he told reporters after the game, as aired on “Bruins Overtime LIVE”. “I was kind of bouncing around left and right wing, and playing different lines in different games”.

The Lightning made it 2-0 at 6:54 of the second when Sustr beat Holtby with a wrist shot on a rush for his first goal of the season.

Tonight’s game featured a Penguin’s power play that finished the game with no goals on five power play opportunities. Both teams came in to this game bottom third in the league in the power play, but special teams was the story. “We need to score maybe a couple of goals 5-on-5”. “If we play well, it makes life easy on him”.

Carolina Hurricanes goalie Cam Ward (30) blocks a shot by Pittsburgh Penguins’ Sidney Crosby (87) with Hurricanes’ Victor Rask (49) also defending during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Dec. 19, 2015. Out with injuries for the Penguins were D Kris Letang (undisclosed), goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (concussion) and RW Beau Bennett (undisclosed). Vatrano’s second goal came with four Penguins surrounding him as Jeff Zatkoff laid down thinking the puck was under him.

They have two man-advantage goals in just two of their 32 games this season. I see we play better. “I don’t really care what anybody says about the Penguins; they’ve got a really good team over there, some high-end skill, and you really have to be on your toes”.

Staal was drafted by the Penguins with the No. 2 overall pick in 2006 and won a Stanley Cup with Pittsburgh in 2009, but was sent to Carolina in a 2012 summer trade. A four-goal third changed all that.

Several times tonight shots deep into the area of his goalie, Chara made his presence known by clearing out Penguins players.

Liles scored on a slap shot from the point, a goal that turned out to be the eventual game-winner.

After Sheary was tripped by Boston’s Kevan Miller, the Penguins gave up a short-handed goal 1:03 into the second period.

Tampa Bay put only four shots on goal during the first period, but its first one went in thanks to a great individual effort by Killorn at 8:18 of the period. “Obviously if he can’t see it, he’s not going to stop it. That’s something I’ll try and do”. “The biggest thing with us is possessing the puck, and I think we did a good job of that, and I think we put more pucks on net than we usually do”. It’s a tough loss again, but (we’re keeping our) heads up. So was winger Scott Wilson, recalled from the Penguins’ farm team in Wilkes-Barre earlier in the day.

In the last two games Pittsburgh has been physically outmatched, specifically when near or in the crease.

-Hurricanes center Riley Nash has played in 199 career games.

The Penguins had a chance to pull even when Carolina’s Brad Malone was called for high-sticking Crosby at 3:35 of the third, but they couldn’t capitalize.