The Pittsburgh Penguins scored three quick second-period goals, en route to a 5-1 win over the visiting Vancouver Canucks in NHL action Tuesday at PPG Paints Arena.
Justin Brazeau had a goal and two assists to pace the Pens (5-2-0), who won their third game in a row. Sidney Crosby, Connor Dewar, Tommy Novak and Anthony Mantha added single goals, with Kris Letang recording two helpers to become the 20th defenceman in league history to reach 600 career assists. Former Canuck Arturs Silovs earned the win in goal, making 23 saves.
Conor Garland scored the lone goal for the Canucks (4-3-0), who were looking for their fourth straight win. Kevin Lankinen took the loss in goal, stopping 20 of 25 shots.
Garland opened the scoring on the first shot of the game 1:18 into the first period, moving down the right side and ripping a shot past Silovs from the faceoff circle. Garland has two goals on the season.
Pittsburgh pulled even at 11:39, when Dewar tipped a Parker Wotherspoon point shot past Lankinen.
In the second period, the Pens took a 2-1 lead at 14:21, when Novak beat Lankinen from the right offensive circle on a power play. Crosby added his fourth of the year at 16:18, grabbing a loose puck off a faceoff and firing a blocker-side shot past Lankinen. After the Canucks were stymied on a good chance, Mantha knocked a rebound behind Lankinen at 17:29 to give the Pens a 4-1 advantage.
Brazeau rounded out the scoring on the power play with his fifth of the year 5:56 into the third.
NOTES: The Canucks wrap up a five-game road swing Thursday in Nashville (5 p.m.), before returning home to host the Montreal Canadiens Saturday (4 p.m.) and the Edmonton Oilers Sunday (7 p.m.)… Vancouver's Brock Boeser missed a second straight game for personal reasons… Pittsburgh went 2-for-5 on the power play, while the Canucks were 0-for-3.