Mason McTavish scores short-handed goal in final seconds of thrilling Ducks win
PITTSBURGH — Ducks forward Mason McTavish sat in the penalty box, hoping that his teammates could kill a 5-on-3 against the Pittsburgh Penguins’ power play in the final two minutes of a tie game.
When the Ducks successfully killed his penalty, McTavish made sure to take care of the rest.
McTavish scored a short-handed goal with 11.9 seconds to play and the Ducks beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3 on Monday night.
“I was just praying to God that we’d get the kills,†McTavish said. “Huge kills at the end.â€
Huge kills that allowed McTavish to score the game-winner.
Frank Vatrano recorded his fifth career hat trick as the Ducks beat the Philadelphia Flyers 7-4 on the road on Saturday.
Pittsburgh was on a two-man advantage for 1:49 at the end of the third period because of a tripping call on McTavish and a separate delay of game penalty. Adam Henrique intercepted a Penguins’ pass and pushed it to McTavish, who beat Tristan Jarry on a breakaway.
“I saw (Jarry) was kind of deep,†McTavish said. “Kind of faked five-hole, got him to drop his hands a bit and then just kind of went upstairs.â€
It was McTavish’s second of the game and fifth of the season. McTavish and Ryan Strome are both on five-game point streaks.
Frank Vatrano scored his ninth goal and Jakob Silfverberg scored in his 700th game with Anaheim.
John Gibson stopped six shots but left after the first period with an upper-body injury. Lukas Dostal made 33 saves in relief for the Ducks, who swept a four-game road trip. It was the fifth time, and first since the 2013-14 season, that Anaheim swept a road trip of at least four games.
Erik Karlsson scored his second of the season and first goal at home for Pittsburgh. Evgeni Malkin also scored with the man advantage, as Pittsburgh snapped its 0-for-16 power-play slump, which spanned six games and dated back to Oct. 13.
Radim Zohorna also scored for the Penguins, who have lost two straight and five of six overall.
Sidney Crosby recorded an assist and moved into 15th place on the NHL’s all-time assists list, passing Hall of Famer and former teammate Mark Recchi.
Jarry made 23 saves for the Penguins.
“I have to get out and make a save,†Jarry said. “That’s the bottom line. I think that’s the biggest thing, just to force it into overtime and get a point.â€
Silfverberg, who scored Anaheim’s first goal, is one goal from tying Steve Rucchin for sixth in team history. Silfverberg is also one point from tying former Duck — and current Penguin — Rickard Rakell for seventh with Anaheim.
Malkin tied the game 2-all 19:25 into the second period with the Penguins’ second power-play goal, a slap shot from the top of the right circle.
Pittsburgh was awarded the power play after Anaheim’s Ross Johnston appeared to score, but the goal was waved off because of goaltender interference. The Ducks unsuccessfully challenged and Pittsburgh was given a two-man advantage when Anaheim coach Greg Cronin was assessed an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
“I came in and I apologized,†Cronin said. “I said, ‘Hey, quite frankly, I could’ve cost us two points.’
“We didn’t play that well, but we ended up winning. It was a goofy ending. That was probably one for the ages.â€
Before the game, the Ducks joined Penguins’ players at center ice for a tribute to Adam Johnson, who died Saturday after his neck was cut by a skate blade during a game in England. He was 29.
Johnson joined the Penguins organization in 2017 and he skated in 13 NHL games with Pittsburgh in 2019 and 2020.
Adam Johnson, who played with the Kings’ top farm team in Ontario in 2022, died during a game in England when his neck was slashed by a skate blade.
A black and white photo of Johnson was displayed on the scoreboard and a white spotlight on center ice. The video tribute included Johnson’s debut in Nashville and his first NHL goal in Minnesota. Instead of a moment of silence, the Penguins asked to give one final cheer for Johnson. Fans applauded and players tapped their sticks around the center circle.
The Penguins added “AJ 47†decals to their helmets and started the third line on Monday.
