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Malkin breaks late tie with 2nd goal of game, Penguins beat Lightning 4-3

Erik Erlendsson

Malkin breaks late tie with 2nd goal of game, Penguins beat Lightning 4-3 | iNFOnews.ca
Tampa Bay Lightning center Dominic James (17) and Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Connor Clifton (75) scrap during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Evgeni Malkin scored his second goal of the game with 2:43 left and the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-3 on Thursday night for their fourth victory in five games.

Tristan Jarry stopped 36 shots, Ville Koivunen scored his first career goal for Pittsburgh, and Ben Kindel had a power-play goal. Malkin also had an assist.

Brandon Hagel scored twice in the third period for Tampa Bay. He has 10 goals in the past seven games.

Nikita Kucherov had a goal and an assist, and Darren Raddysh had two assists. Jonas Johansson finished with 26 saves.

Tampa Bay has dropped consecutive games in regulation for the first time since Oct. 18-23.

Malkin scored the winning goal off a one-timer feed from Tommy Novak.

Kucherov appeared to tie it with 55.4 left in the third but the goal was overturned after a league initiated review determined there was a missed stoppage for a hand pass.

Pittsburgh’s top-ranked power play scored twice to help the Penguins build a 3-0 lead.

Koivunen converted on Pittsburgh’s first chance at 6:12 of the first period with a shot from the left circle, snapping Tampa Bay’s streak of consecutive penalty kills at 24.

Malkin stole a Hagel pass inside the Pittsburgh blue line and converted a breakaway at 7:53 of the second period. Kindel tipped Erik Karlsson’s shot for another power-play goal at 9:49 to make it 3-0.

Kucherov put Tampa Bay on the board with 1:14 left in the second period and Hagel cut the deficit to one 1:17 into the third. Hagel scored his second goal of the third period with 8:16 to go as the Lightning erased a three-goal deficit.

Up next

Penguins: At Dallas on Sunday night.

Lightning: Host the New York Islanders on Saturday night.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Malkin breaks late tie with 2nd goal of game, Penguins beat Lightning 4-3 | iNFOnews.ca
Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin (71) celebrates his goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)
Malkin breaks late tie with 2nd goal of game, Penguins beat Lightning 4-3 | iNFOnews.ca
Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry (35) stops a shot by Tampa Bay Lightning center Dominic James (17) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)
Malkin breaks late tie with 2nd goal of game, Penguins beat Lightning 4-3 | iNFOnews.ca
Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Ville Koivunen (41) takes a shot in front of Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Max Crozier (24) during the third period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)
Malkin breaks late tie with 2nd goal of game, Penguins beat Lightning 4-3 | iNFOnews.ca
Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov, second from left, celebrates with teammates, including center Anthony Cirelli, left, and center Jake Guentzel, right, after scoring against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)
Malkin breaks late tie with 2nd goal of game, Penguins beat Lightning 4-3 | iNFOnews.ca
Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) shoots against Tampa Bay Lightning center Yanni Gourde (37) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)

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The Associated Press

Erik Erlendsson

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.

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