Crosby's power-play goal in 3rd period sends Penguins to 6-5 win over Bruins

BOSTON (AP) — Sidney Crosby scored on the power play to snap a third-period tie and added two assists, lifting the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 6-5 win over the Boston Bruins on Thursday night.

Crosby’s goal broke a 5-all deadlock and halted a four-game winning streak for the first-place Bruins, who rallied from three down to tie it. The Penguins also got goals from Drew O’Connor, Ryan Graves, Jake Guentzel, Lars Eller and Jeff Carter. Alex Nedeljkovic made 24 saves.

Brad Marchand scored twice for the Bruins, and David Pastrnak had a goal and two assists. Morgan Geekie added a goal and an assist, and Jeremy Swayman stopped 29 shots.

The game started with a back-and-forth flourish as the teams combined for five goals in the first eight minutes. Boston opened the scoring 41 seconds in as Marchand won a 1-on-1 battle in front of Nedeljkovic after Pastrnak fired a wrist shot.

The Penguins got the next two goals from O’Connor and Graves before Pastrnak collected his second point of the period on his 23rd goal of the season.

Guentzel capped the wild start by putting Pittsburgh back in front. The forward converted a long pass from Kris Letang, with Crosby credited for his second assist of the first period.

After eight scoreless minutes, the Penguins grabbed a two-goal advantage at 15:58 when Eller sizzled one past Swayman from a tough angle.

Despite allowing four goals on 16 shots in the first, Swayman was back in net at the onset of the second period. He allowed another point-blank rebound goal to Carter that increased Pittsburgh’s lead to three at 6:38.

Boston got one back as Pastrnak’s 30th assist of the season saw him zip a pass to Geekie, who waited for the lane to open up before beating Nedeljkovic.

From the high slot, Jake DeBrusk added to the scoring spree and trimmed Boston’s deficit to a single goal entering the final period. Marchand’s second goal was Boston’s first short-handed this season as he fired one past the blocker to tie the game at 5 early in the third.

Before the game, the NHL announced that Crosby and Pastrnak will represent their Eastern Conference teams at next month’s All-Star Game in Toronto. It’s the 10th career honor of Crosby’s brilliant career, while Pastrnak earned his fourth selection.