Gästebuch » PITTSBURGH (AP) — Casey DeSmith is not the highest-paid

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Casey DeSmith is not the highest-paid or most accomplished goaltender on the Penguins. Yet he’s playing like it Connor Brown Jersey , a development that’s helped Pittsburgh keep its season from unraveling.The backup thrust into a starting role while two-time Stanley Cup winner Matt Murray recovers from a lower-body injury and shaky play stopped a career-high 48 shots as Pittsburgh fended off a third-period Boston rally to slip by the Bruins 5-3 on Friday night.DeSmith improved to 7-2-1 in his last 10 starts, keeping his cool even after the Bruins erased a two-goal deficit in the third period by scoring twice in 54 seconds. Jake Guentzel restored Pittsburgh’s lead by tipping home Kris Letang’s point shot with 9:13 to go, and DeSmith did the rest.“It’s always fun, though, when you’re getting peppered as long as you come out on the right side of things,” DeSmith said. “It was a little (chaotic) there at the end but glad we pulled it out.”The Penguins appeared to be firmly in control after Zach Aston-Reese’s short-handed goal — Pittsburgh’s first down a man in 57 games — with 58 seconds to go in the second period made it 3-1.Boston’s Chris Wagner and David Krejci drew the Bruins even when they beat DeSmith less than a minute apart in the third. But the Penguins executed perfectly on a faceoff in the Boston zone, with Sidney Crosby winning the draw and then sending the puck back to Letang. He shot it and Guentzel extended his stick to get a piece of it. The puck slid by Jaroslav Halak for Guentzel’s 13th of the season.“I know he’s going to shoot it,” Guentzel said. “I just put my stick there and hit it. We run that (play) in practice. Sid kind of gave the nod so we knew it was coming. Obviously a great play by Sid.”Brandon Carlo scored for the first time in 115 games for Boston and Halak stopped 24 shots but the Bruins had trouble with DeSmith, who has filled in capably with Murray spending most of the first two months of the season dealing with injuries or a serious dip in form.The team activated Murray on Wednesday but coach Mike Sullivan has chosen to stick with DeSmith, though Murray is likely to make his first start since Nov. 17 on Saturday night when the Kings visit. DeSmith insists he won’t change his approach now that he’s engaged in a full-on competition battle for playing time.“I think when I get a game Frederik Andersen Jersey , I go out there, try to win, try to play my best,” DeSmith said. “(Just) keep working hard in practice, doing all the same things. That’s the way to keep having success is to not change anything once you get a hold of it.”The Bruins dominated for long stretches thanks in part to sloppy play by the Penguins, but DeSmith managed to keep Pittsburgh in it.“He’s a good goalie, but I thought our scoring chances weren’t A scoring chances, especially in the first period,” Krejci said. “But that’s how it goes sometimes.”DeSmith’s flashiest stop came in the first. He was sliding to his right when Brad Marchand picked up a bouncing puck and moved to DeSmith’s left. The goaltender reached back with his glove and plucked a shot out of midair to keep the game scoreless.“I just kind of fell over and stuck something over there and thankfully it went in my glove,” DeSmith said. “That was not technique.”Derek Grant gave the Penguins the lead shortly after DeSmith’s save on Marchand. Phil Kessel Womens Jake Gardiner Jersey , playing in his 277th consecutive game with the Penguins — the fourth-longest streak in franchise history — and 723rd straight overall, doubled Pittsburgh’s advantage 1:56 into the second period.The Bruins responded by pressing Smith, who eventually relented when Carlo fired a laser from the top of the right circle 11:53 into the second for just the seventh goal of his career and first since March 4, 2017, against New Jersey.“It had been a long while,” Carlo said. “But I feel like with the way that I’m starting to put the puck to the net a little bit more, the opportunities were coming for me to shoot the puck, tonight especially.”Though Boston eventually pulled even, Pittsburgh still ended up pulling away, with Aston-Reese putting in an empty-netter with six seconds left to ice it.NOTES: Letang exited late in the third period favoring his left leg and did not return. … If Kessel stays healthy Tyler Graovac Jersey Womens , he could break Craig Adams’ club record of 319 straight games played near the end of the regular season. … The Bruins were 0 for 2 on the power play. The Penguins were 0 for 1.UP NEXTBruins: Welcome the Sabres on Sunday. Boston took the first meeting 4-0 in Buffalo on Oct. 4.Penguins: Host the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday night. TORONTO (AP) The Maple Leafs were without their starting goalie, their best overall player and two other regulars – and still managed to do what they’ve been doing a lot lately.They won again at Air Canada Center.Curtis McElhinney made 33 saves for his third shutout of the season and the Maple Leafs extended their club-record home winning streak to 12 straight games with a 4-0 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night.Andreas Johnsson scored his first NHL goal, and William Nylander, Kasperi Kapanen and Nazem Kadri also had goals for Toronto, which has four victories in a row following a four-game slide (0-2-2).McElhinney, who picked up the eighth shutout of his career, got his second straight start and third consecutive win with Leafs No. 1 goalie Frederik Andersen still out after taking a blow to the head/neck area in a crease pileup on Wednesday against Dallas.”Just guys stepping up and coming in the lineup and really contributing,” Kadri said when asked how his team keeps humming along. ”That’s been a strength for us all year. We’ve got key guys out. We’ll look for other guys to step up.”Charlie Lindgren made 45 saves for Montreal, which dropped to 1-5-2 over its last eight games.Toronto won despite being a bit short-handed. Star center Auston Matthews missed his ninth consecutive game with a shoulder injury, veteran forward Leo Komarov (lower body) didn’t suit up following a strange collision with Nylander in Buffalo on Thursday Youth John Tavares Jersey , and defenseman Nikita Zaitsev sat out a fourth straight game with an illness.”That’s what you need,” Leafs coach Mike Babcock said. ”You need all your hands on deck.”The injury-ravaged Canadiens were without starting goalie Carey Price (concussion) for a 13th consecutive game, while captain Max Pacioretty (knee) missed his eighth in a row.Lindgren was the story of the first period with three big stops, including an incredible full-stretch glove save to deny Tyler Bozak of what appeared to be a sure goal on a power play, until Nylander finally broke through moments later.With the Leafs still on the man advantage, the Swede took a pass from Jake Gardiner at the top of the right faceoff circle and scored his 15th to snap a 13-game goal drought against the league’s worst penalty-killing unit on the road.Toronto made it 2-0 just three minutes into the second when Travis Dermott played a long stretch pass off the boards to Kapanen, who blew past Noah Juulsen down the left before beating Lindgren past the blocker for his sixth.McElhinney picked up an assist on the play after quickly playing the puck to Dermott.”You throw it up the wall and a lot of times (Kapanen) can just skate onto pucks and make things happen,” McElhinney said. ”I’ll take a point any time I can.”The Leafs goalie had a relatively quiet night compared to Lindgren, but had to be sharp with six minutes remaining in the period when Alex Galchenyuk jumped on a turnover by Leafs defenseman Roman Polak in front.Acquired from Montreal ahead of last month’s trade deadline, Toronto center Tomas Plekanec played his first game against his former team. Drafted by the Canadiens in 2001 Authentic Mitchell Marner Jersey , the 35-year-old ranks seventh on Montreal’s all-time games played list at 981. He was in the middle of the action later in the second when Montreal correctly challenged for goaltender interference with under five minutes left, denying Kapanen his second of the night off a scramble.But the Leafs eventually stretched their lead to three with 28.3 seconds remaining in the period when Kadri redirected Mitch Marner’s pass into the top corner on a power play for his 28th.Johnsson scored his first goal – also notching his first point – with 4:33 left in the third when he chipped Zach Hyman’s pass past Lindgren at the side of the net. He celebrated with an excited leap.”It’s just emotion going through my whole body,” Johnsson said with a laugh. ”Jumping … 4-0 (with) five minutes left. I don’t really know what goes through my mind – just happy feelings.”NOTES: Leafs forward Patrick Marleau played the 1,565th regular-season game of his career to move past Nicklas Lidstrom for 11th place on the NHL’s all-time list. … Canadiens defenseman Shea Weber had foot surgery this week, but is expected to be ready for training camp. … Matthews missed his 19th game of the season because of injury.UP NEXTCanadiens: host Florida on Monday night.Maple Leafs: at Tampa Bay on Tuesday night.